Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic
by PaulXion
Summary: Sunset and her friends are enjoying their school life. But like always, a new enemy arrives bent on destroying all that they hold dear. Together they must rise up to the challenge and meet this threat head on. And while their friendship holds stronger than ever, will it be enough to defeat this enemy - or will they require something... stronger? Flash Sentry x Mane 7 fic
1. Suit and Suitors

**Chapter 1: Suits and Suitors**

**A/N: I have been a brony since MLP came around 3rd or 4th season. If anyone ever told me 10 years ago that the concept of a show about ponies becoming a hit, I'd probably have laughed my head off. And thankfully I was glad that I was wrong. This show has shown so much feeling and showed me so much warmth that will always be dear to my heart. I've already rewatched the whole 3 seasons and I cried so hard every time when I remember that there won't be a continuation. It is truly an end of an era and I was glad that they ended it on a high note.**

**But in any case. Please enjoy this fic.**

**(Canterlot High School) (Thursday)**

It's a beautiful Thursday evening in Canterlot High School. With the sun slowly setting in the distance, the clouds became hued in a majestic orange glow. The trees aligned beautifully along the side of the road while birds flew back to their nests ready to call it a day. There was also a slight chill in the air giving the day a nice cold cuddly feeling. Not surprising seeing how close winter was coming. But it was nothing a warm cup of hot coco can't fix.

To many it would look like another ordinary day, but for Sunset it was a glimpse of her paradise here on Earth. She let out a happy cheer as the school bell rang signaling the end of class. Mr. Doodle, thankfully didn't droned on about some long branching topic today and actually focused on the lesson at hand. It was a rare occurrence naturally but at this point most of the students in his class wouldn't really mind. They'd rather learn something rather than to listen to another one of his philosophies and theories.

As she got to the hallway and put her books in her locker she was ambushed by Rainbow Dash who leaned by the wall with a wide eyed grin on her face. "Hey Sunset. Ready for that performance of a lifetime at Applejack's Barn?"

"You mean the barn dance?" Sunset rolled her eyes at her but kept a humored smile. "Isn't that supposed to be on Sunday?"

"Yeah! But I'm so excited for it!" RD leaped up, nearly touching the ceiling. "I know that we've had larger performances already but any excuse to have the band play on a stage in front of a large crowd is a win in my book."

"That must be a pretty big book."

"No duh. Just goes to show how awesome I am. You're not gonna skip it, right?"

"And miss the largest gathering of Applejack's entire family? Not a chance." Sunset threw a laugh. "Besides, I'm always down for free food. Plus I'm a sucker for cider. But don't tell Applejack that or I'll never hear the end of it."

"Deal." They left the locker and gently wade through the hallway that were quickly being depleted of students. "So… any plan this Friday? Pinkie and I are heading to Sugar Cube Corner for the special discount on ice cream. We're gonna try the Brain Freeze Challenge!"

Ah the Brain Freeze Challenge. Whoever thought of that event would regret it the moment they meet Pinkie Pie. She'll gobble down ice cream faster than your average teen and have her brain go through a permanent Ice Age and still act like nothing happened. She nearly caused one ice cream parlor to declare bankruptcy. But that was a story for another time.

"As much as I'd love to see you and Pinkie freeze your brains out. I can't." Sunset replied. "Twilight and I already promised to help Fluttershy at the animal shelter. A whole new batch of puppies are coming along and we're looking for people to adopt them. Why don't you ask Rarity?"

Rainbow Dash slouched down and groaned. "I already did. She has to work at the boutique store at the mall all week long. Something about putting up the new Winter Collection or something."

Ah of course. The winter collection. An assortment of fashion lining up the new fad for winter attires. They have one every season and each season looked far more ridiculous than the last. At least that's what Sunset thought when she first saw the clothes of this world. Maybe she'll take a glimpse just in case.

"Then I guess you'll just have to enjoy the brain freeze on your own. We all have our own lives to contend with."

"Ugh… fine. I guess I can do that."

"Promise you'll take pictures?"

"Definitely! When we win the challenge and go home with the free-all-you-can-eat-ticket! Ha!" She flailed a kick which unintentionally land on someone's back leaving a dirty footmark on his jacket. "Oh. Sorry about that."

The boy turned around, waving back apologetically. "It's fine. I was going to put this jacket through the washer anyway. Good kick by the… Sunset?"

"Flash?" Sunset's heart skipped a beat realizing it was her ex that they ran into.

"H… hey…" He waved again, this time a bit awkward. "How are ya?"

"I uh… good." Sunset replied awkwardly nodding. "And you?"

"Same. And uh… you?" He paused on that question. "Right. We already did you."

Rainbow watched as her existence left quietly ignored as the two smiled and stared into each other's eyes. She wanted to speak but knew better to keep her mouth shut in these instances. No need to dump head first into a fire.

"I see you got yourself a new look." Sunset continued gesturing to his hair. "I almost didn't recognize you."

"Really?" He panicked, hastily combing his head with his hands. "Do I look weird? My dad had me change it for a big event this Saturday. Some… formal thing."

"Formal?" She blinked, eyes furrowed to an interested position. "Like a suit and tie?"

"Yup. The whole thing. With fancy glasses and bite size sandwiches. I even have to get a new suit. Aheh." He reached to his neck shyly. "Got uh… any plans later?"

"Y… yeah. Ima…"

"She's hanging out with me." Rainbow Dash came to the rescue. "Sorry Flashy. But Sunset's schedule is pretty much booked for the day. Better try your luck tomorrow."

"Oh… uh… ok? I'll uh…" The conversation took an abrupt stop when the lights in the hallway suddenly flickered and died out. Those who remained in the school flinched and froze all believing that a light bulb would explode any second. "Huh. That's new."

Rainbow scoffed. "Oh come on! Did someone forgot to pay the electric bills today?"

No… that wasn't it. Sunset scanned her surroundings trying to find an oddity in the area.

She wasn't quite sure what it was but she was certain that she felt something pass by her just now. Like a wave of magical energy. But… that can't be. Can it? This world doesn't have magic. Not unless it came from Equestria. And she'd know if something came through it. Twilight would send her a message the moment something was up.

The lights eventually returned and the students who remained quietly brushed the whole event off as just a coincidence. After all, this was Canterlot City. Strange things always happens here.

"Huh. Must've been nothing." Flash shrugged. "Anway, Sunset. Do you have a moment? I…"

"Sorry Flash. We'll talk later. I got umm…" She thought fast on her excuse. "Gotta hang out with Rainbow Dash. Right?"

"Right?"

"Right! Come on RD!" She bolted off to the door with the rainbow haired lady tailing her.

It was a rather abrupt ending to a conversation that seemed to be going somewhere. But there was little Flash could do at this point. Not unless he could suddenly cast magic.

xxxxxxxxxx

Sunset arrived at the front of the school not long after the sudden power outage. She came expecting anything at this point. A monster attacking the school, a creature from Equestria breaking through the portal. Heck even an army of zombies! She'd seen it all and was ready for whatever that may come.

But strangely enough, there was nothing.

Everything was fine. No earthquakes, no mysterious thunderstorms, no monsters ravaging the school. Not even a single brain eater. Just a few of her fellow classmates hanging around. She wasn't really sure if she was happy or disappointed.

She quickly dropped her combat stance and noted Twilight by the portal statue with a confused expression on her face.

"Twilight?" Sunset called to her. "Did you…?"

"Feel that strange wave of magic that came through and caused an electrical shortage earlier? Yup!" She held up her magic energy radar which buzzed rapidly. "My device activated just a few minutes ago and it detected a feint but wide dispersal of magical energy."

"Did it come from the portal?"

"No. I thought the same too but it didn't come from the portal." Twilight answered, hanging her device close to the mirror. "As a matter of fact… this magic reading is completely different."

"Different?" That didn't sound good. "Different how?"

"Well… from what I can tell on a quick read, the magic that comes from Equestria has the same wavelength as ours. You could say that our powers are tied to your world. But ever since Twilight… uh… THE Princess Twilight took her crown back, most of the magic went back with her. So…"

"O…k?" Sunset nodded. "And what about this one?"

"Well this one is… different." Twilight struggled to explain. "I'm not really sure how but I think I can give a better answer if I do a more research. I have the proper equipment at home. I'll run a full spectrum analysis and pinpoint the magic's origin and find out what it is."

Rainbow Dash rubbed her head, confused. "Uh… full spectral what now?"

"Do you think it's dangerous?" Sunset asked for reassurance.

"It's… hard to say. But so far… most of the foreign magic we've encountered hasn't exactly been pleasant." Twilight hastily packed her things and quickly headed off to the school bus, shouting. "I'll give you an answer later tonight. See you at the animal shelter?"

"You bet." Sunset answered back waving farewell before turning her attention to the statue portal.

While most folk wouldn't really know, this piece of marbled art was actually a magical gateway to the magical realm of Equestria. A land filled with wonders and dreams that only a few humans could possibly comprehend. A place where ponies talked and magic ran in abundance like the air they breathed.

She slowly placed her hand on the mirror feeling the magic seep in unhindered like always. She and Princess Twilight… the other Twilight on the other side have made some countermeasures regarding the portal itself to prevent others from abusing it.

A magical lock was placed onto the mirror itself keeping it solid so that no one would use the portal to travel between realms. It was Princess Celestia herself who created the seal so that only those who have the key can activate it. This was to prevent unwanted sprites and magic from traversing between worlds.

"So~~~~~~" Rainbow Dash spoke up, whistling that last tune. "That was awkward."

"No. I think it's more confusing. The lock we placed on the portal is intact."

"I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about Flash."

"Flash?" Sunset snapped her neck around. "Wh… what do you mean?"

"Don't give me that. You know what you did." Rainbow thrust an accusing finger at her. "What's the deal between you two anyway? I thought you guys made up already."

"We did. Though… we didn't really did."

"Say what now?"

They did make up. At least… that's what Sunset believed they did. A lot of things happened before they actually had a proper conversation. Magical emergencies and such. Too many dangers, too many distractions. By the time they got through it all, she had totally forgotten about their talk.

And it's not like she didn't want to talk to Flash either. It's just that… she didn't really know what to say. As far as she knew, he was the last person who'd want to get back with her. In fact she wouldn't be surprised if he downright hated her to the core after what she did to him – or… at the very least what her old self did to him.

"We didn't have a chance to fully make up." She confessed, twirling one finger around her hair. "It was a while ago… and a lot of stuff happened."

"So… what? You never talked to him ever since then?"

"Oh no. We talk. We just… never brought it up again." That was a lame excuse. "Besides, everything's fine between us. No harm, no foul, right?"

Rainbow gave her the 'Are you kidding me?' eyebrow raise. "Did you not just hear the conversation you two had? I was cringing the whole time. The hair on my head was standing at attention!"

"You're exaggerating." She gave Sunset the glare. "Was it really that bad?"

"Bad? No Sunset. A bad conversation with your ex-boyfriend is a normal process. There's bad. But yours is the kind that just makes me want to clip my ears closed… forever!" RD barked out. "And coming from me… that's saying something."

"Wow Rainbow. I… didn't know you felt that way."

The speedy girl chuckled. "I'm just looking out for ya. Cuz someone has too around here. But please. Promise me you'll talk to him. At the very least try to be friends again. Pretty please?"

"Alright Dash. I promise." She submitted to her childish whims. "But just FYI, it's gonna be the most awkward conversation I'll ever have."

"Good. Because I won't be around to cover your back when you two are having another talk."

"Heh… just add it to my tab."

"I'll hold you to that." She said before bolting off into the distance.

A talk with Flash? Ha! Yeah that was going to end up so well.

**(Fashion boutique)**

The life of an aspiring fashionista was like that of a struggling artist. At least that's what Rarity liked to believe anyway.

There were up and downs in your life, challenges to overcome, snooty judges to impress. It was grueling work and difficult to master. But at the end of it all, she was always happy whenever a customer walks in and find what he/she wants.

The Winter collection had just arrived at the store. A few famed tailors have worked their hearts and souls into these fine sculptures of cloth and needles creating a masterpiece that would last through the ages.

Oh how she dreamed of one day joining them and having her work displayed in front of shops everywhere! She dreamed of fame and fortune, the celebrity status, the props and VIP treatment in various hotels. People will be pushing each other vying for her talent and attention. She can picture it now.

A row of famous models from all over the world strutting through the catwalk all wearing her designs. Cameras flashing in the crowd while the audience gasped and gawk at her lineup.

Rarity shall be a name chanted amongst the masses. It'll be printed in big bold letters on the newspaper. Neon signs lightning up every minute so that no one would ever forget.

Rarity! Rarity! Rarity!

Yes! Say it loud, say it proud!

"Rarity!"

"Eeeeep!" The girl in mid-dream squealed when the store owner called out, shattering her beautiful illusion. She found herself back at the store, in the crowded mall and still a struggling artist. "Oh! Ms. Hemline. Did you need something?"

Prim Hemline. One of the best in the fashion business. She used to be a fashion designer back in her early days and became one of the most (in)famous critics in her time. Though she never truly made the headline her name still rang amongst the inner circles of seamstresses around the world. She eventually settled down and opened a chain of boutique stores in selected cities.

"I thought I told you to put the Winter Collection lineup at the display." She gestured over to the front of the shop where the display window remained barren and empty. "We need those ready by tomorrow."

"Oh yes of course. I'm sorry. It's just that we're quite shorthanded today. The other assistants called in sick and…"

"I know my staff and their conditions Rarity." The owner rebuked her. "Just get these mannequins out. I have an important customer coming over in a few minutes and I want this place to be at least presentable when he arrives. Do you understand?"

"Yes madam!"

"I'm leaving you in charge. And get those two working as well." She pointed at the new rookie staff member behind her. "Get it done in fifteen minutes."

"Yes madam! Right away!" Rarity hastily moved the mannequins in their places. But the task was simply too much for one girl on her own. Even with the other two there were simply too many dresses, too many mannequins to move and too few hands to do them all in an acceptable timeframe. "Oh dear. Oh dear." She froze when one of the mannequins she put up began to wobble. "Oh… no no no no no no!" She forced her magic out to keep the large figure from falling, but the shield she created only bumped the others creating a domino effect. "Oh my…!"

"Whoa!" And right before the damage was done, a pair of hands suddenly appeared and stopped them from before they wrinkled the designs.

"Oh thank heavens. I'm so terribly sorry." Rarity hastily moved the dolls out of the way, apologizing all the while. "I was in such a hurry I nearly did something stupid. Are you hurt?"

"No. But that's probably the first time I had a bunch of mannequins drop on me." The voice replied throwing a humored tone to lighten up the mood. "Need help?"

"Oh no. I couldn't possibly ask someone to… Flash?"

"Rarity?" The two exchanged the same surprised look to one another as their eyes locked. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here?" She pointed out as a matter of factly to her name tag. "You do know that clothes are my passion, right?"

"Ah… right. I remember now." The boy bashfully replied. He smiled softly but quickly dropped it when he saw the workload that she had to go through. "Are you managing the store all by yourself?"

"No. I have two others with me." Rarity sighed depressingly in return. "But we are a bit understaffed at the moment. The others caught the cold and are bedridden for who knows how long. And right before the season change for the Winter Collection of all days. There might as well be a pandemic right now because we're already behind schedule."

"Wow… you guys must have it rough."

"You have no idea, darling. I consider myself a hard worker but even I know when something is too much for me."

"Why don't you ask your friends for help?"

That would be the logical thing to do considering the things she had to deal with. As a matter of fact she was resisting the urge to spam text all of her friends and get them rushing here as quickly as possible. Heck even Rainbow Dash alone would be plenty.

"I would if they were around." She admitted, carefully raising the mannequins back on the stand and failing to keep its clothes on. "But everyone is busy with their own lives. And with the coming performance we have this Sunday for Applejack's entire family, I can't possibly ask them to take time out of their schedule to help me."

The boy looked around and noted all the scattered items, the few shoppers passing by and a string of customers waiting by the cashier. A workload this big was supposed to be done by five maybe six people. Having only half the staff handle the entire store all on their own was simply too much. "Well… I'm here now. Can I help?"

"Oh no no no no. I couldn't possibly ask you."

"Hey it's fine." He insisted gently, taking the heavy mannequin off her hand which he did with relative ease. "Even a guy like me can do some grunt work. It's the least I can do after you redesigned Ringo and Brawly's outfits for our last performance at Bulk's birthday. They were totally rad. Besides, with all of this work, it'll take you forever to get it all done."

"I… well…" Rarity was about to protest until she noted the customers by the cashier giving her the stink eye. "I guess I can't look a gift horse in mouth now, can I?"

"I'm not really sure what that line is supposed to mean but I'll take it as a positive expression." Flash smirked, pulling up two of those heavy dolls with both arms. "Now where do you want these?"

"By the window display. And make sure the colors match. And… no, the black one goes on the left side."

"But they're both black." Flash pointed out, which Rarity chuckled back humorously.

"No dear. That one over there is Midnight Blue. The one you're holding is Ebony colored."

Flash darted between the two trying to discern the difference but sadly he didn't have Rarity's eyes. "If you say so."

"Rarity!" Oh for the love of… has it been fifteen minutes already! "I thought I told you to fill the window display."

"I'm sorry Ms. Hemline." She bowed apologetically. "We're moving as fast as we can right now and…"

"No excuses." The owner said sternly before her gaze fell upon the boy beside her. "And who are you? I don't recall hiring extra help."

"Oh… this is my friend." Rarity explained. "He just offered to help with some of the workload."

The older lady groaned under her breath, clearly agitated but kept her cool. "Rarity, you remember the store rules. Unless it is a paying customer, you are to…"

"Focus entirely on our duties and nothing else." She repeated. "Yes ma'am. I understand. I'll uh… I'll get back to it."

"No, wait." Flash spoke up garnering their attention. "Don't be mad. I am Rarity's friend, but I'm also a customer." He reached for his pocket pulling out a receipt much to Rarity's relief. "I'm actually here to pick up a suit that was ordered for me."

The owner raised a brow, taking the slip of paper with a curious eye. "A suit you say? I don't recall having an order for… oh!" Her eyes widened and she looked up to the boy with her mouth agape. "Y… you're… you're… Flash? Flash Sentry?"

The boy looked at her puzzled. "I am."

Rarity wasn't sure what to think about how her boss acted or even less so when her expression suddenly turned from a cold ruthless businesswoman to a mewling cat vying for its owner's attention.

"My apologies for that earlier comment. I did not recognize you with your… umm…" She scanned him eagerly. "… your unique attire. Yes we have your suit. It's finished, ironed and customized to your father's specification, which are… in my opinion: Quite exemplary to say the least. Please, follow me. You there!" She pointed at one of Rarity's co-workers. "Don't just stand there. Clear this place up! You're in charge now. Rarity, you're with me." Rarity complied and followed the owner. She gave Flash a questioning look but his face stated that he was just as confused as she was.

Her boss led them to the changing room corner where a booth was held in reserve.

"By the way. Please pass my congratulations to your father. I hear the vote on his position was unanimous."

"Oh uh… sure. Yeah." Flash replied awkwardly. She wasn't sure what they meant with that but from what she can guess, the boy's father seems to be someone very important. "I'll do that."

"Good. And here we are." The lady declared with an arm extended towards a stand which held a set of clothes that took her breath away.

It was a suit – or at the very least that's what Flash saw anyway.

"Is that a Gallopers' vintage wine suit!?" She gasped loudly not realizing her employer's smirk.

"You have a good eye. It is exactly as you say." The older lady confirmed it with a nod, ushering the boy closer. "A Gallopers' one of a kind outfit. It was made from the finest cloth sold in Yakyakistan, the softest silk from Cloudsdale and sown together by the finest tailors here in Canterlot City. It took a while to make but it was certainly worth every coin."

Flash on the other hand simply shrugged. "It's… umm… nice."

Nice?

NICE!? Rarity wanted to burst. You can call her designs, nice. You can even call the food in the cafeteria to be… nice. That suit was a Gallopers' vintage design! It was crème de la crème. The holy grail of suits! The shining star to every Black-Tie event! The Lost Ark of Equestria! Calling it nice was like calling the Moon and Stars 'mediocre'. Might as well just throw insults at it rather than pretending to be nice.

"Please, try it on." The owner opted.

"What? Oh I don't think that's necessary. It looks perfectly fine from where I'm standing. I'm sure I can fit into it no problem."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Flash." Ms. Hemline cooed. "Can I call you Flash?" He shrugged. "This is a very special suit. It would make me very happy to see my clients in them. Seeing people wearing my clothes are one of my greatest joys. Not to mention if we should find any error, we can make adjustments immediately. Don't you agree?"

It was a logical reasoning. Not even Twilight can get out of that. Flash rubbed his neck shyly and couldn't find any arguments there.

"I guess it… can't hurt to try."

"Excellent!" She nonchalantly pushed him into the booth and shove the suit stand in with him. "Rarity, make sure that the suit is put on properly. I'll be back in a few minutes to see it fitted. And get the young man some refreshments while you're at it."

"Oh that's not… necessary." She was gone before Flash could protest. He glanced over to Rarity again with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

"Oh don't mind her. That's just how she is." Rarity explained, chuckling. "Prim Hemline is the best in the business. I learned a lot from her during my time here in her boutique. In this line of work, you cannot afford to be soft. You have to grab opportunity by the hair and yank it as hard as you can! As… a matter of speech of course."

"Well I'm glad you're having fun. Now… how do I do this exactly? I've never actually worn a suit before." He closed the blinds and slowly changed into the attire.

The fashionista raised a brow. "Didn't you wear a tux back in the Fall Formal Dance?"

"Yeah but that suit was from home and it didn't exactly survive after the dance. I didn't think I'd have to wear another one so soon. My dad really insisted that I get a new one pronto so he made this order."

"Well that's very sweet of him." Rarity nodded as the boy tossed his clothes over the edges. The ensuing chaos inside ruffled the blinds a bit exposing his jagged back clearly for her viewing pleasure. "I uh… mean your father must be really fortunate to have ordered something so grandeur. That suit isn't exactly something people buy on a whim. Very few people have the chance to see it, much less wear it."

"Aha. I guess you could say it's a… rarity?"

"Oh haha. Laugh it up darling. But you need to understand how lucky you are. That kind of attire is fit for the most grand of parties. Only for very special occasions. Like meeting a Queen!"

"I don't know much about queens but my dad is hosting a fund raiser project in the museum on Saturday. That and… I got an… appointment to go through tomorrow."

"Oh?" Rarity's gossip senses were tingling. "An appointment eh? Sounds like you got yourself a date."

"What!? No!" His panicking tone meant that she was right on the mark. The boy stuck out his head looking like a turtle. "What did you hear? Who told you? How did you know!?"

"I didn't until just now." The girl teased him poking his nose. "I don't suppose I know this lady you're meeting?"

"N… no. Yes? I mean… no! And it doesn't mean anything. My dad and her parents are good friends and they want us to at least… mingle. So they set us up for a playdate."

"Ah mingling. How scandalous." It would certainly explain the boy's new hairdo and the new clothes.

"Just promise me you won't tell anyone." He pleaded. "I don't want this getting out."

The girl ran her finger through her lips imitating a zip. "My lips are sealed." Flash sighed with relief. "Provided I can count on your help this Sunday for Applejack's family reunion party."

"Me? What do you need me for?"

"Labor mostly." She explained nonchalantly. "It's a big event and we need some muscle to work on moving much of the furniture."

"Don't you have Applejack for that?" The boy reminded. "And isn't she like… crazy strong?"

Rarity gasped feigning shock. "Flash Sentry. I am disappointed in you. Are you implying that you would let frail ladies such as us do physical labor? I'm shocked. I'll be exhausted. And in my exhaustion, I might even spill the beans on your… mingling."

Flash choked on his spit. "Are you… blackmailing me?"

"Blackmailing? Oh no. Absolutely not." She absolutely was. "I'm just procuring help for my friends. So? What do you say? Do we have a deal?"

"Do I get a choice?"

"If you don't want people finding about your secret date."

"Then yes. We have a deal."

Rarity squealed. "Wonderful. Now come out of there. Let's see how you fit in that… suit?" And come out he did like a butterfly that sprung out of its cocoon to spread its gorgeous wings to soar across the sky.

They say '_that the clothes doth maketh the man_', and in this situation, Rarity would agree to that quote with all her heart. The boy she had known for a long while traded that rocker look for a more 007 spy attire. The bowtie matched well with his suit which in turn matched his cerulean hair. His pants fitted perfectly, leaving no wrinkles whatsoever. If she hadn't known him before she would've easily mistaken him for a prince of a foreign land coming to find a bride in this fair city and make her his princess. He would sweep her off her feet, riding a noble stallion and ride off into the sunset taking her to his kingdom and crown her with his love.

"So how do I look?"

The boy's words shocked Rarity off her daze letting her analyze him up and down. "Oh umm… you look absolutely… stunning dear."

"You think so? It feels a little… stiff."

"That's just the new fabric stretching to accommodate your… physique." She explained while the image of his back flashed in her thoughts. "Give it time and you won't even know it's there. The folks at your father's fundraiser will be eyeing you with envy. Ahehe. I can already picture their faces."

"I hope so. It's kind of a big event. I don't want to make a bad impression."

"Please. Perish the thought. Wearing this suit practically gives you a golden ticket to any black-tie event." It was true. Just one look at the brand and the people there will be opening doors for you in an instant. The shoes alone cost a fortune. "Speaking of your father. What did Ms. Hemline mean when she said that he got that position? Did he get promoted?"

The boy's face flushed again at the thought. "Well… something like that. You see – my dad's a professor in history and he kind of made waves back in his old school. Now they're transferring him back here and… well it's complicated."

"So he'll be working in Canterlot High?"

"No. Worse." He cringed. "He's going to be the new Superintendent for Crystal Prep Academy."


	2. Pinkie Power Down

**Chapter 2: Pinkie Power Down**

**(Sunset's residence)**

Sunset Shimmer paced around her room that night, eyes flaunting all over the place while she held onto her cell phone, counting down the minutes as she waited for a call from Twilight. Her mind hung over the magical wave from earlier and it's been bothering her ever since she got back from school.

She sent a message to Princess Twilight on her magical diary trying to see if there was anything related to what was happening in Equestria. And thankfully her friend on the other side responded quickly. Unfortunately however the reply she got was less than stellar.

As far as the princess was concerned, nothing notably major was going on in Equestria. The mirror portal she had in her possession was safely stowed away in Canterlot Castle under strict guard. She even reassured her that Princess Luna and Celestia would keep a close eye on the mirror itself for the next few days just in case anyone tries anything. They'll even double the guards if they have to.

Still… that didn't really made her feel any better. Sunset would've investigated this whole mess if she had a clue. Normally when a magical emergency happens she'd at least have a suspect or a clue in where to start. But right now all she can do is wait for Twilight – this Twilight, to give her some intel.

She only wish there was something she could…

_"Shake your tail cause we're here to have a party tonight!"_

"Gah!" She flipped out when her phone suddenly began to ring. But… that wasn't even her ringtone. Did someone change it? She could only imagine either Pinkie or Rainbow Dash were to blame. But the thought of punishing those two will have to come later. After fumbling through the buttons she answered the call. "Twilight?"

"Oh hey Sunset. Good. You're still up." Twilight spoke from the other line. "Listen closely. I've been studying that magic burst that we felt from school."

"Did you find out what it was? Is it harmful? Is anyone in danger?"

"Slowdown." Twilight spoke back. The sound of a keyboard typing could be heard in the background. "I've analyzed the energy spectrum and crossed reference it with all of my data regarding magic."

"Ahuh. Ok." Sunset gripped the temple on her nose. "Look Twilight. Not everyone has your level of genius. Can you dial it down for us – or me at least?"

"Oh… right. Sorry. I keep forgetting that not all of us has a degree in techno-sorcery." Wow. If she wasn't her friend Sunset would've thought that this Twilight was actually being arrogant for a second there. "Ahem. To put it in laymen's term: The energy that we felt is completely different from those from Equestria. It has a different wave like uh… comparing fruit juice with milk." A strange comparison but Sunset wasn't gonna point that out.

"So you're sure that it's…"

"I can guarantee you that whatever it was, didn't come from the other side of the portal."

"Phew. That's a relief." She breathed out a sigh. "I'll tell Princess Twilight that she doesn't have to worry about problems on her end. But if this thing didn't come from Equestria, then where did it come from?"

"I looked into that as well. Luckily I can perform a city wide scan to pinpoint the smallest probably location."

"You can scan the city for magical energy?" Sunset inquired suspiciously. "Since when did you get that kind of tech?"

"Oh I just planted some detectors in various locations around the city. It boost the range of my scanner, giving me a wider area of view."

"When did you do that?"

"Oh… in my free time." She answered innocently enough.

"Girl. We really need to get you a hobby." Sunset added. "So what does that mean exactly?"

"It means I can detect anyone using magic, if it's strong enough."

"Ah… hehe. Is that so?" The redhead's eyes widened as she chuckled awkwardly. "You wouldn't have been using that radar to track our every move, would you?"

"What? No~~ I would never do such a thing. I would never abuse my technical findings to spy on my friends as they go to oh… I don't know…" She was grinning. Sunset couldn't see her but she was definitely grinning. "… to watch a screen play of Love's First Free-Fall in the old amphitheater."

"So you did spy on us!"

"Oh relax." Twilight reassured her. "My scanner can only track when magic is used. The only reason why you popped up on my radar is because you were trying to read the mind of that actor on stage."

"Hey I don't know much about show biz here on this world but I know for a fact that, that man is a genius." She groaned. "Anyway, that's a topic for another day. Do you know where that magic burst came from at least? Or what it did?"

"Well I can answer one of those questions." A shuffling of papers came along. "The magic was pretty feint but it left a trail behind. From my scanner, I've been able to narrow it down to a few blocks between Bonjove Avenue and Rorick Road."

Sunset gave it a thought. "That's near downtown."

"And a lot of ground to cover." Twilight agreed on that remark. "Thankfully I have a way of narrowing it even further."

"Ok so what's the plan?"

Twilight shrugged on the other line. "Well I'll need to get a better reading. We can head over there tomorrow after school and try to pinpoint the origin of that magic."

"Uh… no." Sunset replied plainly. "We promised to help Fluttershy in the animal shelter, remember?"

"This is important Sunset. Whatever caused that magical burst must've been pretty powerful. If we don't investigate this, something dangerous could be unleashed. And you know all our experiences with magic." They've been dangerous, that much is true. Near life threatening even. "You don't have to come. I just need my trusty detector to find our culprit."

"I don't know Twily. I don't like you going alone."

"Oh please. You do remember who you're talking to, right?" The egghead countered back. "If it gets too dangerous, I'll run. Besides, I won't be alone. I'll have Spike with me. Isn't that right boy?" A bark could be heard on the other line. "Besides, I'm not really that comfortable with something that powerful being used on this world."

Sunset wanted to argue back but knew better than to debate with the queen of logic herself. She too was uneasy about this new found power. Because as far as she was concerned, all magical occurrence seemed to stem of her Equestria. This world she came to had no such thing as magic. Not unless you count Trixie's smoke and mirrors as such.

"Alright Twilight. I'll leave you to it. Just… be careful. And remember to keep me posted." With a sigh, she closed the line and got to bed.

Sunset couldn't sleep.

Something strange was about to happen in this city and she was afraid of what it was.

**(Friday) (Canterlot High School)**

School was in that morning in Canterlot High. While the cold chill was still in the air, the thought of the last day of school energized the student giving them something to look for during the last bell. Mr. Cranky Doodle was at the door of course, making sure that everyone was accounted for. While the faculty did trust their fellow students to behave it didn't hurt anyone to leave someone to supervise them.

Rainbow Dash was first on the scene leaping from the school bus and into the school hallway where all of her friends and classmates gather. There was still some time before the first bell and it gave her time to collect her thoughts and mossy into the area. And lucky for her she stumbled upon the first person she wanted to see.

"Yo Pinkie!" She greeted the bubblegum girl with the same energy as ever. "Are you ready to tackle this afternoon's Brain Freeze Challenge!?"

"Ready?" Pinkie laughed hiding her face inside her locker. "I was ready before I was even born! An arctic snow storm could freeze this brain. A bunch of tasty treats won't stand a chance."

"Good because that 'all-you-can-eat' ticket is gonna be ours! Put your game face on and empty that stomach, sister! Because those guys in the competition are going down!"

"You said it!"

"This is gonna be the easiest competition we ever diaaahhhh!" RD jumped back, her face contorted with terror as Pinkie's face came into view. "Holy molly! Pinkie! What happened to you?"

Pinkie looked around her but saw nothing wrong. "What do you mean? I feel perfectly fine."

"B… but… but your hair? It's… combed!" Rainbow continued, still maintaining that ghastly tone. "And your dress! It's… prim and proper. And you're wearing pants and shoes!"

"Like… a lot of people?"

"Pinkie is not like everyone else! She is a one of a kind party animal and… and… is that…?" Rainbow quickly closed the distance between them, sniffing the girl's face. "Are you wearing perfume!? Pinkie never wears perfume! The smell interferes with the taste of her sweets! She said that herself!" She thrust an accusing finger at her. "You're an imposter!"

"Oh come on Rainbow Dash. You're exaggerating. I'm just trying a new look. It's not that big of a deal." Her fake smile didn't exactly make her any more convincing.

"Hey guys?" Sunset came along, drawn in by the noise that Rainbow was making. "Is everything alright? I heard yelling. Did something hap…"

"Sunset! You've got to help me!" Rainbow grabbed the redhead by the collar shouting directly to her face. "Pinkie has been kidnapped and replaced with this… this… imposter!"

"Imposter?" Sunset glanced over to the accused fake and immediately noted the large differences. Pinkie was wearing clothes. Not the carefree type of clothes but more of a proper girl kind. She traded those sleeveless shirt for a blouse and blazer which gave her a rather sophisticated air. Those frilly skirts that she enjoyed wearing were gone, replaced by long pants with no stains and no paint marks. Even her sandals were gone, and instead came a pair of lady shoes. But most importantly was her hair. The fluffy cotton-candy-like hair which was her pride and joy, was combed and straightened down to a perfect line. It actually kind of reminded them about her sister, Maud.

"Wow Pinkie." Sunset whistled impressively, all the while trying to get Rainbow off her. "You look… great." Smart even. But she wasn't gonna add that just yet. Heck, if you add some glasses and a little eye-liner, she'll probably look even smarter than Twilight. "Trying on something new?"

"Yeah, my mom did it for me. It's for umm… reasons."

"More like a failed imitation!" Rainbow accused. "Who are you!? Some magical creature from the other side!? Are you like… some kind of hive monster bent on eating and replacing us all with your clones!? Or some kind of parasite that takes over our brains to act as your hosts!?"

Girl, you have got to stop watching those late night horror movies. They are really not good for you or your imaginations. Though that last bit sounded a lot like a changling, before their reformation

Luckily the girl didn't have to answer that ridiculous question when the bell finally rang signaling the beginning of school.

"Oh! That's the bell. Later girls!" With a fond farewell, Pinkie was gone leaving the two girls behind to discuss the matter.

"RD… please get off me."

**(Later) (Cafeteria)**

Lunchtime rolled around faster than Rainbow could've hoped for. The whole day she'd been fussing over Pinkie's new transformation. And while most of her classmates saw it to be something unique and fun, she found it to be an abhorrent abomination against nature itself.

She knew Pinkie better than most people did. That girl was the very definition of a party animal. She'd be messy, annoying, loud, obnoxious and even semi-wild at times. She's the kind of girl who'd jump into a pool of whipped cream and laugh about while gorging on the cream itself.

Eventually Sunset was able to give her the thought that she might've been trying on a new look. But when lunch came along, she was now more than convinced that Pinkie was replaced by an evil clone.

"Ok. Come on guys. You've got to find this weird too!" She called on her friends who gathered at one table as she pointed at Pinkie who remained different from her original counterpart. For one… the bubblegum gal was eating her food. She was EATING… properly! Normally Pinkie would just shove her face on her meal and eat it from there or just grab it with her bare hands and gobble it up without a care for any spillage or stains. But now she was using utensils, taking things one bite at a time. She even had a napkin on!

"I'll admit, it is a little strange." Fluttershy agreed, looking at Pinkie like a giant elephant in the room. Though naturally she'd prefer if there was an elephant in the room. "Normally Pinkie would be… wilder?"

"More chaotic? Unpredictable?" Applejack added also agreeing. "Messy?"

"Maybe she's just going through a phase?" Twilight chipped in, pushing her glasses up. "Like Rarity when she was going through those dark themed dresses."

Rarity coughed. "It's called Goth – and it wasn't a phase. Just a period of strife."

Sunset laughed. "You had that gloom and doom attire for a whole week. In school time, that's considered a phase."

"Regardless!" She steamed. "I on the other hand find Pinkie's transformation a pleasant change. She now has that look of sophistication and regal beauty! I especially love your makeup and nail polish darling. Very impressive."

"Thanks!" Pinkie gave a toothy smile in return.

"No more of that dirty attire that I wish to burn to the ground. It's actually quite charming to say the least."

"Well I'm not buying it!" Rainbow declared. "There's just no way someone can change like this overnight. She must be a clone! Quick, Twilight. You said that there was this big magic boom yesterday, right? Do you think that could've changed her?"

"I wouldn't really know." The egghead shrugged back while taking a bite off her sandwich. "That energy was really weak when it reached us. And if it was some kind of charming spell, my detector would've sensed it. And right now…" She pulled out her sensor. "… it's picking up nothing. Other than Applejack's super strength."

"Ah… yeah. My bad." The cowgirl chuckled softly. "I've been needing to move a lot of stuff to get the barn ready for the family reunion this Sunday. It's gonna be the biggest one yet."

"Then an evil clone! Or a robot!"

"Cloning takes a long time to do and if it was a clone she'd be exactly like Pinkie Pie, not… this." She pointed out. "And robot replica of humans is still decades away according to my estimates. Besides, if she was a robot." Twilight pulled out a magnet from her pocket and tossed it over to Pinkie which simply bounced off her hair. "She'd have a magnetic touch."

"Fine!" Rainbow lost it. "At this point, you leave me no choice. Sunset… read her mind."

"What? No."

"Come on! It's the only way we can know for sure! I am not going to that Brain Freeze Challenge with Ms. Proper over there." They darted over the said girl who looked back.

"What?"

"Rainbow, you're being ridiculous." Sunset calmed her. "This is the same Pinkie. She just has a different look right now. I'm sure she has a logical explanation if we just asked her."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" She challenged, quickly rushing to Pinkie's face. "Spill it girl! Admit it. You're some sludge monster, aren't you!? What did you do to the real Pinkie Pie!? Give my friend back!"

"Hey! Easy!" Pinkie retorted, patting the wrinkles off her blouse. "It's just a look that my mom wanted me to try out. Nothing more. I just need to wear this for one whole day and I'll be back to my original self."

"So it's just your mom trying out new looks for you?" Twilight deduced. "That's sweet of her."

"That… and she also has a big date later tonight." A stoic voice added garnering their attention.

"Maud!" Pinkie yelled out to her sister who stood at the end of the table with a deadpanned face. "What did we talk about spilling beans!?"

"Sorry." The older sister replied unapologetically. "Couldn't resist."

"WHAAAAAAAT!?" The table exploded in a wild chorus of high pitched squeals and shouts as the girls huddled over their friend, all thoughts of clones and robots and evil parasite monsters vanishing and replaced with delicious questions.

"A date!?" Rarity gasped, fanning herself with her hands as she tried and failed to control herself. "Darling, you should've told us! We would've helped you."

"Who is it?" Fluttershy, while soft-spoken, asked with almost hungry looking eyes. "Is it that boy who you've been talking to in the hallway lately?"

"That yellow guy?" Rainbow recalled. "Who was it? Cheese something?"

"Yup that one. I like him. He's funny."

"So who is it, Pinkie? Spill!"

"Where are you two going!?"

"Guys! GUYS!" Pinkie hushed them. "Calm down. It's not even a real date. We're just going out as friends."

"Oh it's totally a real date." Maud added taking a seat on their table with something that looked like the beginning of a smile on her face. "They even booked a table at this fancy restaurant called the Huffs and Hooves."

"The Huffs and Hooves!?" Figures Rarity would know such a place. "Why that's one of the fanciest place in all of Canterlot! It's ranked amongst the top 10 places for absolutely romantic settings! It's so busy every day that there's a 2 months back log of reservations! How on earth could you have possibly get a table there?"

"Family connections." Maud explained shrugging. "Her date got the table there."

"Ooooh~ A wealthy clientele?"

Pinkie turned a darker shade of red. "S… something like that."

"Oh he's totally loaded." Again her sister cut her off earning a mean yet adorable glare from Pinkie. "He made the whole arrangement – or at least I think he did."

"This is so exciting!" Twilight gave a cute glee. "I'm not really good with interpersonal relationships but I'm actually feeling tingly inside. Who is it? What's he like? Is it someone we know?"

"He's actually in this school." The stoic sister answered. "In fact he's mphhmm!"

"Hey Maud! You look hungry. Why don't you try this cupcake!?"

Thankfully Sunset decided to be the voice of reason here and have everyone back off. "Alright guys. Let's not give Pinkie too much pressure. We can all respect her privacy." Pinkie gave a pout of gratitude which she immediately regretted. "… provided she gives us all the details on the date after."

Betrayal!

"I can go with that."

"Oh yes. I agree."

"Don't forget to take pictures!"

Sunset chuckled softly at Pinkie's expression. "I'm gonna get a refill. See you in class." But just as she turned a corner to the kiosk she bumped headfirst onto somebody. "Oh! Sorry I wasn't looking…"

The owner of that body laughed at her clumsiness. "Don't be. It wouldn't be the first time we've bumped onto one another."

"Flash?"

"Hey there Sunset." The boy gave her a warm smile which she returned in kind. "You're looking great as always."

"Ah… yeah. Thanks." Her cheeks colored over. "You too – with that new hairstyle of yours."

He combed over his head giving off a weak laugh. "Yeah well, there's a big thing coming this weekend so I'm just being prepared. Anyway, are you busy right now? I thought we could talk."

"Talk?" She froze. "Here?" She looked around. "Now?"

"Yeah. Is it a bad time?"

"W… well…"

"Ahem!" A loud cough could be heard directed at her from the table. From there she saw Rainbow Dash giving her 'the look'. Come on Dash, can't you give a girl a break? It's not exactly to talk things out like this. "AHEM!"

Ugh… fine.

"Actually… now is a great time." She replied quickly enough which surprised him. Perhaps he was expecting her to blow him off again like all the other times which wouldn't be much of a surprise at this point.

"Really? Great!" He leaned back when he felt his voice reaching a little too loud. "I mean… good. We never really had a chance to talk alone since… well… a long while ago."

"Yeah. I know." She brushed the side of her arm, putting the empty cup away. "We've just been really busy with school, jobs here and there…"

"Defeating magical creatures with your superpowers?" The two of them shared a laugh on that last part. When was the last time they shared a moment like this? Sunset couldn't seem to recall. It felt rather… nice. Warm even. "Yeah. I can understand that. But anyway. I actually wanted to continue our talk from Camp Everfree."

"Our talk?"

"Yeah. I asked if we could start over but you kinda ran off on me."

The girl palmed her forehead with a groan. "Oh right! You did that. Sorry. It's just that…"

"Hey it's fine. I completely understand." He replied quickly, not really wanting to make her apologize more than she already did. "You girls had to fight off some crazy plant thing. And if it wasn't for the seven of you, we'd all be stuck there."

Stuck there with magical vines growing all over.

"I just wanted to get things out."

"Get what out?"

"Us." He answered with one hand over his chest. "I know that you and I didn't exactly have the best breakup."

Ah… so that's what he wanted to get out.

Sunset's face soured at the memory. She could still recall it. Her old malicious-self cutting through the hallway of the school terrifying each and every one with her mere presence. Their fear outweigh their hatred for her. And the sad part is… that it felt good. The feeling you get from everyone bowing to you was intoxicating. She felt like she could do anything she ever wanted and no one could stop her. No one. Not even the teachers could touch her back then. She felt like a god.

It's a shame that it only took the near destruction of the entire world to snap her out of it.

"Sunset?"

"Huh?" The girl shook up when she realized that she hasn't said anything for a whole minute. "Sorry. It's just that… you saying that brought up some… bad memories. About the old me."

"Hey it's ok. I think the whole school already forgave you for that. And honestly I kinda like the new you."

"Really?"

"Really." He nodded with an honest to god smile that would've melted her heart if it was still made of ice. "And that's why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to ask you properly just to make things clear." His eyes locked to hers, those cerulean orbs focused and giving out a cold yet comforting glow. Sunset did the same, a grin crossing her face. "Do you want to start over? As friends I mean." He added that last bit hastily to avoid confusion. "I really want to get to know the new Sunset better. If… that's ok with you."

Sunset glanced at his extended hand and then back to his face. The grin she held blew up into a wide smile and she took his hand with a firm grip.

"I wouldn't mind getting to know the old Flash either." She replied earning a chuckle from him.

_"This is awesome!"_ Flash's voice bombarded her mind. _"This is literally the second best day of my life!"_

Pffft!

Sunset held a laugh.

"Oh by the way, are you free tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" She gave him a quick raised brow, forgetting that puppy expression he had. "I guess so. Why?"

"Well… my dad is holding this fundraiser project tomorrow night at the museum. I was thinking maybe you might wanna come along?"

"The museum? You sure you know your audience?" She teased. "I don't know about you but looking at old stuff in a stuffy old building isn't exactly my idea of a good time. You're better off asking Twilight that."

"Yeah… Twilight." He grunted. "The other one on the other side…"

"Or this one here." Sunset pointed out to the girl in question. "She might not be the same Twilight but I'm sure she'd be interested in seeing anything educational."

"If you say so. But… I might hold onto that." He brushed the thought of it away. "Seeing her… kind of brings back some old memories too." And surprisingly enough, they were all good ones.

"Hey! Flash!" His friends interjected from afar. "What's the hold up?"

"Be right there." He answered back, flashing another smile at the beautiful lady before him. "Anyway. It's nice talking to you again Sunset. I'll catch ya later?"

She returned his smile waving back cheerily enough. "Yeah… later."

**(Evening) (Downtown)**

Downtown Canterlot was perhaps THE busiest place in the whole city. With its numerous shops, stands and town square and large municipal gardens that doubled as flea markets on several occasions, it was a magnet for shoppers, tourists and pedestrians alike. If it exists, and if there's a price on it, you can most likely find it somewhere in this area.

Twilight leap off the bus with Sunset and Fluttershy. Their gaze falling upon the busy streets of downtown. Many of them good potential for being new owners of adorable puppies being put up in the animal shelter.

"Well… looks like this is our stop." Sunset declared. "You sure you're gonna be ok on your own?"

"I'll be fine." Twilight waved her friend's worries off. "And I told you: I'm not doing this alone. I got Spike to watch my back. Isn't that right, buddy?" The said dog plopped its head out of her backpack giving a reassuring bark. "Sorry I can't help with the animal shelter today."

Fluttershy didn't seem to mind. "Oh that's ok. I don't really mind. I know that magical emergencies takes precedence over a lot of things. But I'm sure Sunset will be more than enough help around there."

"Just remember to be careful." Said Sunset. "We still have no idea what this magic is. If you run into any danger or trouble, book it to the animal shelter pronto. Or give us a call when you can. Alright?"

"Yes mom." She jokingly grunted before parting ways. Sunset was kind of acting like a den mother there. "Geez. I wonder what's up with Sunset. She's sounding almost… too protective." It's almost like she thinks she couldn't defend herself. She's Twilight Sparkle for crying out loud. The smartest, and sometimes the most powerful magic user in the gang. If any monster or villains tried to get on her bad side she'll toss them away with a single wave of her hand. Telekinesis for the win!

"Maybe she's just worried." Spike deduced, plopping his head next to his owner. "It's normal for friends to be worried when their friends are off on a solo-adventure."

"Yeah but not when we're in the city." She said with her eyes on the device. "Besides, I can handle myself just fine. I don't need people watching my back when I have you."

The mutt gave it a thought and agreed. "Well I can't fault you there. I am pretty awesome."

"Whoa." Twilight nearly slipped on her feet when she suddenly noticed her detector suddenly going off. "Well would you look at that. Not even twenty steps off the block and I already got a hit. Chalk up another one for science!"

**(3 Hours later)**

"Ok… maybe that cheer came a bit premature." Twilight groaned out loud as she leaned back on a bench, her feet raised from exhaustion. Her montage of a search around the downtown area came to a complete halt as she spent the last few hours trying to pinpoint the origin of that strange magical burst. She expected it to be as easy as having a giant magic to look for a needle in a haystack. But unfortunately that was not the case. Her search led her from one building to another which then led her through an alleyway full of stray cats, which then led her down a sewage drainage pipe, which then led her back to where she started.

To put it short, it was a big waste of time.

"Boy… am I beat." Spike whimpered softly as he dropped from her backpack, stretching his legs out.

"Spike, you were in my bag the whole time. You can't be tired."

"Sure I can. Watching your back has become my full time job. You'll never know when some monster will sneak up behind you and have you for lunch. You need someone to shout 'Look out!' or 'Run Faster!'. You know? For motivation. And speaking of lunch."

Twilight wanted to argue but was too tired to do so. Instead she decided to comply with his wishes and pulled out a dog treat from her bag, letting him munch it happily.

"I don't get it. I calibrated this device to detect all magical energy. But it looks as if the energy is just dispersed to… well… everywhere. It's like it's fluctuating from place to place." She tinkered with the device for a spell trying to see if she made any error, which was probably not the case, but it didn't hurt to double-check. But she stopped when heard her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey Twily. How's my favorite resident genius doing?"

"Timber!" A smile splashed itself across her face when she realized it was her boyfriend on the other line. "H… hey!"

"Something wrong? Did I catch you in a bad time?"

"What? No! Of course not." She giggled back. "Just… exploring the city. Seeing the sights. That's what… girls like me usually do… right?"

Spike raised a brow. "Are you asking me?"

"Ah… yeah. Sure? Anywho, I figured if you're free, maybe we can hangout this weekend. I heard that they have this new movie, Bone Chiller 3. They say it's pretty awesome. It might even top Bone Chiller 2."

"That crazy film about a snow monster?" Twilight recognized the name. It was supposed to be some horror movie about a possessed Snowman that comes to life every winter and terrorizes the people. It is then repeatedly defeated by a bunch of teens using some vague nonsensical magic mumbo-jumbo. It would be scary too if magic was still something unknown to her. "I don't know. I'll be very busy on Sunday with Applejack's family reunion. Plus I got some stuff on my plate right now."

"How about tomorrow then?" He suggested. "After that we can visit your favorite spot at the botanical garden."

"The botanical garden!?" The girl grinned from ear to ear in anticipation. "Ooooh! I love that place. They just added a new greenhouse! I'll definitely go!"

"Great! I'll pick you up, same place?"

"Yes! Looking forward to it already!" But her smile died out rather quickly when her sensor device activated again. This time however, the magical readings were stronger. "Uh… I gotta go now. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"It's a date." She hung up and hastily packed her dog back into her backpack before bolting off. "Come on Spike. I think I got it this time. Once more into the breach!"

**(Taxi cab)**

Maud wasn't really sure what to make of her adorable little sister.

On one hand she was proud of having such an energetic sibling who didn't have the same stoic attitude as the rest of the family. But at the same time she wished that Pinkie would be a little… tamer especially when it came to her official date.

Right now the two of them were riding on the back of a taxi, on route to the Huffs and Hooves to meet with her supposedly secret date. And honestly enough, for the first time, Pinkie actually had a decent look on her. Other than the drool of icing on her lips, the attire that their mother picked for her gave the bubblegum girl a very lady-like look. Instead of the clown she often was.

"Ooooh. Tummy… hurt." She groaned lowly, pressing her hands over her stomach which was slightly bloated due to the Brain Freeze Challenge.

"I told you to stop." Maud replied in the same stoic manner as she always did. "You didn't have to finish those last four cups. You already won the match."

"79 cups… of ice cream!" Pinkie pointed to the ceiling, grunting. "New… record! Ugh…" She held a hurl. "Totally… worth it!"

"I hope you still have room for dinner with your date."

"It's not a date!" She retorted, holding firmly to that statement. "It's just an outing with some guy. All because mom and dad wants me to buddy-buddy with their friend's son. We're just gonna meet, have fun and go back with no strings attached."

"Hmm… still sounds like a date."

"Don't you try to pull one over me, sister!" Pinkie poked her by the cheek. "The only reason I was chosen is because you already have a boyfriend!"

"Mudbriar and I have a healthy and developing relationship." She countered deadpanned. "It would be unethical to go with someone else when you're into someone else. That's why I decided to pass on this opportunity to you."

"Gee. Thanks a lot."

"I don't see what the problem is. It's not like you're going out with anyone at the moment."

"I just know that it's going to be so awkward! Me and HIM!?" Pinkie dragged her hands down her cheek stretching them. "It's a good thing no one found out. I still haven't forgiven you for that incident in the cafeteria."

"I'm sorry. It was the slip of the tongue."

Yeah right.

"Anyway. I don't want anyone finding out. So promise me you'll keep this to yourself!"

"Fine." She shrugged. "I promise."

"Promise it to Boulder?"

Maud's eyes widened startled but returned to normal when she brought out her pet rock. "Fine. I promise on Boulder's honor that I won't say a word to this to anyone. Rockmaster's oath."

"Good. Because the last thing I want is for people to get the wrong idea around here. I don't know if I'm even ready for a date. How do I even act?"

Maud placed a hand over her chin in thought. "How about… not being Pinkie?" Her sister gave a 'huh' in reply. "This is a different date. Something you've never done before with a boy whose dad is an important friend to our parents. I would suggest you do the total opposite of you."

"Aren't you supposed to give proper advice? Like… being myself and all that?"

"I would… if your true self didn't come with party cannons and confetti." She explained stoically like always. "So… be… opposite Pinkie."

"So… Eiknip?"

The elder Pie sighed. "Yeah… sure. Eiknip."

"But I've never been on a real date before. I mean… I've always wanted to try one but never like… this."

"Well we're about to find out." Maud Pie stated. "Because we're here. And look who it is waiting for you."

Pinkie's face went full on dread when the taxi finally came to a stop at the super fancy restaurant with all the fancy lights and the fancy looking people with their fancy looking suits. And much to her surprise, her date was already there, dressed to the nines, looking like he was waiting for a while now. It took a moment for him to register her face before approaching the cab, opening the door and greeting her with a warm and gentle smile.

"Hey there." He said with one hand extended to welcome her. "You're here early."

"Ahehe… I am?" She accepted it and got out, her face turning a cool color of pink. "I mean… I AM!"

"Smooth, Pinkie." Maud whispered earning a glare from her sister. She ignored it and darted her attention to the young man. "Make sure you bring her home by 10. Dad gets cranky when we stay out too late at night."

The boy nodded back with all the confidence he could muster. "Not a problem." He looked at her. "And you're looking pretty good today."

"Ah shucks." Pinkie snorted a laugh. "It's just something my mom did and…"

"Oh and before I go." Maud called out to their attention, quickly snapping a shot at their faces, catching them by complete surprise. "I promised mom I'd take pictures. That's done now. Have fun." She then signaled the driver to go leaving the two behind to groan inwardly.

"Ugh… sorry about that." Pinkie apologized. "That's just my sister doing… her thing." She made a mental note to catch her later.

"Heh. I can see that." The boy chuckled softly, again extending his arm to her. "So… wanna give this playdate a try, Pinkie?"

She shrugged back but didn't decline the offer. She held onto his arm and nodded. "Lead the way Flashie."


	3. First Encounter

**Chapter 3: First Encounter**

**(Huffs and Hooves)**

If there was ever a feeling of being a fish out of water, Pinkie would've felt it here at the Huffs and Hooves. She had heard of these fancy restaurants before from Rarity. That girl would drag on and on about how one day she would come to one of these establishments with a young gentleman and woo the other patrons with her beautiful trendsetting dress. If only she could see her now, Rarity would be clawing the chalkboard till her nails were spent.

Pinkie didn't know about the restaurant. In fact, she's never even heard of the name until her parents mentioned it the other day when they planned this whole date with their friend. They say that it was one of the finest bistro in the city with all of the top quality services ranging from food, to the band playing on stage, down to the waiters and waitresses.

That also meant that the food here was outrageously if not criminally expensive, which would explain why some of the patrons were looking at them with a curious eye. Apart from the staff here, they were most likely the youngest pair in the whole restaurant while everyone else were middle-aged adults and older couples.

How did Flash Sentry of all people even afford to come here? Granted she knew little about him other than seeing him a couple of times in school. But other than his crush on Sunset and Princess Twilight in the other world, he was pretty much just that lead guitarist guy in that 3 man band of his. Never really had much of a reason to know more until now.

And now she was being forced… well not really forced, but rather… pushed to go on an outing with him. Really mom and dad. Of all the people they had to force their daughter to go out with… it had to be him of all people?

This was like playing with dynamites with a lit torch! One way or another it was gonna blow up in her face.

"Pinkie? You alright?"

She nearly hyperventilated when he spoke up. "Whaaaaa? Me?" Her teeth gritted together. "I'm fine. Perfectly perfect. Ahehehehe…"

"Really? Because… you're acting kind of… weird."

Was she? Did she do something Pinkie-like without her even knowing it!? Oh gods, was her subconscious already taking over!? Was her mentality this weak!?

"I… am?" She shrunk down into her blouse feeling the stares from the patrons dig even deeper into her soul.

"Yeah. Normally you'd be more… energetic. You know? Jumping around, with that big old smile you wear all the time." She plopped back up, confused. "Yelling out something like cake or sweets or… even quoting a line or two from a movie."

"Aha… haha… hahahaHA! You… heard that?" Ok that might be true. She did have a habit of being spontaneous when the situation called for it. It was fun to just flow with the wind and never have to worry about people judging you.

"Hard not to."

Haa… this is what she gets for becoming aware of people. And to think Eiknip would've become such an awesome persona.

"Well I guess I'm trying my best to, stay mellow." Her reasoning wasn't really stellar but that's how she described it. "This isn't exactly the place for me to go all… Pinkie. Maud said I should go on a quieter note. The uh… opposite of Pinkie."

Flash laughed. "I guess that's nice of her to look out for you. But… honestly I still prefer the original Pinkie."

"Really?" Her face beamed with stars glittering in her eyes.

"Really." He nodded. "You're practically the life of every party. Remember Bulk's birthday celebration?"

"Remember it?" She yelled. "I was the one who set it all up! The balloons, the giant cake, the inflatable huggy bears! The giant cake balloons that doubled as inflatable huggy bears! Even the gift cannon! That was my best work yet." And it really was. Even Bulk, the overly muscular guy who bench press weights for breakfast, shed a tear of joy when he arrived home to find all his friends there, throwing a lavish party.

"That's right. So chin up. Our parents are probably trying to set this whole thing up for their hidden agenda and all. But try not to think too much about. Just try to have fun. Think of this as another party. Just… a bit different from what you're used to."

"Okie dokie lokey." And just like that, the tension she had been holding dropped and that bubbly smile of hers returned like an eclipse. "Woo hoo! Partay!"

"Would the next pair come forward, please?" The doorman announced with his hand gestured forward. He was a well-dressed lad leaning on a podium where the reservationists were listed down. As expected, his eyes narrowed suspiciously when they stepped up, but thankfully held his professionalism to a tea. "Good evening young sir and madam. Do you have a reservation with… oh!" His neck suddenly snapped towards her date with his eyes nearly budging out of their sockets. "You must be Flash Sentry."

The boy looked back puzzlingly. "Uh… yeah. I am? How…?"

This felt oddly familiar for him.

"Yes of course! We have been expecting you." The doorman practically cooed to the young boy, acting like some kind of employee brown-nosing his superiors. "You should've told us that you were here already. If we knew we would've brought you forward. There's no need for you and your date to wait outside."

Pinkie wasn't really what caused the man to have a change of attitude and she never really got the chance to ask when several waiters and waitresses were brought from behind then ushered them in, taking their coats and blazer without much of a fuss. They tried to speak but were hushed by the doorman leading them through the filled hall, now earning even more stares from the other patrons due to how much special treatment they were being given. They noted an empty table near the stage that they thought they were being led to but instead they were led to a raised platform that was finely decked out with flowers and red tapestries. One might guess that the empty spaces would've had other tables put on but it seemed like they were removed purposefully for this night. It was like they were given a whole room, if not a whole wing all to themselves.

Flash's mouth dropped when they were put on their respective seats with the waiters vigorously placing napkins on them. On the small round table was a candle holder with three freshly lit candlesticks, a fine assortment of plates and utensils and glasses so fancy that it would be a crime to drink anything out of them. On the side of the dining table was a couch with a clear line of view to the stage, should they wish it.

"Your appetizers will be here momentarily." The doorman/butler-guy said with a practiced smile. "Should you require anything else at all, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Uh… ok?"

"And if you wish to request any particular song or music. Simply press the button and we'll have someone attend to you immediately."

Pinkie waited for him to leave before finally leaning over to Flash. "Psst! I don't really come here often but~~ is this normal?"

"Nope. No it is not." She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a premonition for something worse. "Dad said he had a table reserved for us. Not… this." He groaned lowly when he remembered that this was their parents setting them up. This was probably his insurance. "I'm guessing he's… trying to get us together."

"So your dad too huh?" Pinkie said once they were finally left alone with their non-alcoholic drinks. "My parents are pretty much the same. Though mostly my mom. She's uh… pretty direct too. Why don't we just take advantage of this? Since we're already here we might as well taste some of that super fancy food Rarity keeps bragging about."

"Yeah… you're probably right." But she would immediately regret that decision when she opened the menu and saw its contents arrayed before her. She practically gave up at the first glance having absolutely no viable way to pronounce any of them. At least not without losing a portion of her non-existent dignity. "See anything you like?"

"I'll uh…" Sweat began to form around her face as she began pointing at stuff on the menu. Nope. To heck with it all. She'll just go with the saving grace. "I'll just have what you're having."

The waitress who was taking their order gave a snarky look noticing her cheap answer.

When they were finally done with the menu, they were finally given some privacy. Pinkie Pie resisted the urge to face plant herself on the table. She never knew that a date could be this exhausting. And they've only just begun.

"Sorry about that." Flash tried to find a reason to smile but honestly his face was getting tired from doing so. "I didn't think my dad would make things so… awk…"

"Weird?"

That sounded rather perfect.

"Yeah. Awkweird." He nodded. "I'm gonna have to have a talk with him after this. Maybe even a lecture."

"Ha! Yeah. I think I should have a sit-down with my parents too." Perhaps even an intervention. Maybe she can get Maud to plan it. She could probably bribe her with some rock… or sweet treats. But that'll be for another day. "Speaking of parents. I don't think I've ever met your dad before. Even during the Parent-Teacher conference thing. Is he like… super small that we can't see him or is he invisible?"

"Uh… none of the above." Flash replied shyly. "He's more of a… away-from-home kind of dad. You know? He's at home a couple of times and gone most of the time."

"Oh…"

"But I'm not lonely." He added quickly enough to avoid that daddy's boy lone rock star trope. "He keeps in touch all the time and I can call him whenever I want. I'm actually kind of happy that he's staying a while longer. I just wished he didn't have to go the extra mile to set all this up."

"This is an extra mile?" Pinkie gestured to everything around them. "What does a regular mile look like?"

"You don't wanna know." Flash sighed, eyeing Pinkie before joining a bizarre laugh. The sudden topic of their parents had tickled their humor in such a way only they could understand. "Can I offer my lady a toast?"

She raised her super-fancy glass in reply. "Why yes you may." The colorful drink foamed at the edge as they clinked them together. "To good friends! May they never find out about this night!"

"And to our parents?"

"And to our family! May they never do this ever again!"

**(Streets of Canterlot)**

The streets of the city was a completely different place at night. While it bustled with people from dawn to dusk, when the moon and stars come, folks would say that it looked like a ghost town. The roads would be sparsely populated, if at all. Very few cars would travel here other than the late night workers, street lights that were in disrepair would show up, flickering and buzzing. And on some nights such as this, the whole district would be covered in a thick sheet of mist, giving it a haunting yet mystical feel.

Twilight was completely oblivious to the time as her attention was all focused on her scanner. For some bizarre reason, the source of the magic had become clearer. It was as if the energy had all decided to focus on one point. She had two theories how this could happen.

One: She was a genius.

Or…

Two: Whoever used that magic has decided to use it again only on a smaller scale.

She'd have to go on the latter theory.

"Uh… Twilight. Maybe we should call it a day." Her little brother in the bag whimpered. "It's getting kind of dark and this place is getting kind of… creepy."

"I know it's late Spike. But I'm getting close now. I think I can finally pinpoint the source of this magic." The beeping from her device grew stronger and strangely enough it directed her to a certain structure at the end of the road. "And I think I finally found it. It's… the… Natural History Museum?"

Twilight recognized the building. She visited it before with Pinkie and Rarity during a school fieldtrip. It had a collection of various items from ancient history on display. Some of them looking like… well… ordinary rocks.

She got closer to the building and her scanner began to beep louder with every step she took.

"There's no doubt about it Spike." The egghead said to her dog. "This is the place. Whatever's creating that strange magical energy is definitely in there." She reached for the door and unsurprisingly found it locked. The museum wouldn't be open at this time. But thankfully there was a giant sign placed atop the ceiling. "Hmm? The Ancient Wonders of the Mystical Yaztec Civilization?" She gasped.

Spike gave her a confused look. "Ancient Wonders? More like the Boring Wonders. Why would anyone pay to see some silly old vase or some writing on the wall? I write stuff on the wall all the time. Don't I get a spot in the museum?"

"This explains why this energy just showed up today! The museum must've gotten a new addition! There must be an item in there that's causing all this phenomenon. They probably don't even know it's magical." She reached for the door again and struggled on the handle. "But it's locked for the night. And it looks like they're preparing for some kind of event too. We'll have to wait another time to get inside." The girl then hastily reached for her phone. "I should probably call Sunset. Wouldn't want her to worry about me."

But right before she could send a message or press the call button, her device acted up again. The beeping changed, slowly drifting from one side to another.

"Whoa… that's weird. My sensor is picking up another energy signature. It's… the same one as the one we found but it's… moving? And it's really close by."

A shadow whisked pass her startling the girl and her dog. She couldn't clearly see what it was but she could make out its shape. It was a four legged creature the size of a cow with fur as dark as the night sky. Its hazy form danced around the area matching its rhythm to the strangely flickering lights.

…

…

…

_Clang!_

Twilight's felt her body leap upward when a score of trash bins suddenly tumbled, dropping its disgusting contents. But that didn't matter as her eye caught sight of the beast.

"There it is!" She shouted.

"Why are we following it?" Spike asked as he hopped onto her. "We aren't supposed to follow monsters into dark alleys!"

She chased the creature through the streets of Canterlot as it tore through public property like a rampaging bull. It ran through benches, stop signs and even more trash bins before finally cutting through an alleyway at a remote intersection.

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight didn't stop for a moment to think as she pursued the beast, following it to a decrepit three storied parking lot. It was old with many of its walls having been broken three times over. And judging from the looks of it, the place seemed like it was scheduled for demolition. It was also the perfect spot for her to lose track of the creature.

Thankfully however, that beast didn't take into account of her tracking device in her possession. It didn't matter how fast it was or how many corners it took, the tracker kept its mark on it.

"You can run, but you can't hide from me." The girl followed that threat up with a spell lighting her amulet to give her a better sight. "I know you're in here."

And she was right on the mark too. Because the moment her amulet lit up she saw the silhouette of the creature in the dark corner, giving off a toothy growl.

"Ooookay…" Twilight said, suddenly regretted her decision. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Ahehehe." The beast inched closer towards her with its hind legs, swapping the role between prey and predator in an instant. "N… nice doggy? Good doggy. No need to be scared. Because I am pretty much scared for the both of us." She forced a smile on that last part.

It snarled with its two brightly yellowed eyes, its mouth suddenly parting to reveal a pair of sharp fangs underneath. Was it a dog? No. It was too huge. In fact it was almost four times her size perhaps even bigger than a grown lion. Could it be an escaped animal from the zoo? Was it a timber wolf? No that can't be it either. There are no timber wolves here in Canterlot. Not even in Everfree forest. At least… she didn't think so. She'll have to ask Timber about that when she can – or… if she can.

"B… back away!" She warned, trying to throw the most threatening voice she could muster. And if the creature felt threatened at all, it didn't show it. It simply inched closer, its massive body growing larger and far more intimidating.

Twilight gasped. She was certain that this thing definitely wasn't an animal and it didn't belong on this world.

Without much warning, the creature pounced bearing its teeth at her. But Twilight flimsily dodged it slamming her back against the broken wall.

The girl immediately fought back, using her telekinetic ability to grab some loose debris and tossed it. Fluttershy would probably give her the disapproving look later but she wasn't here so to heck with that! Her life was on the line for crying out loud! But much to her shock and fear, the objects that she threw at the monster all missed. She tried again with a few more objects on the ground but the result was the same. She missed.

No. She didn't miss. It was almost like they simply… passed right through the thing. Was this creature ethereal? A ghost?

No. There are no such things as ghosts in this world. Come on Twilight. And you call yourself a scientist?

"That's… not good."

Sounding rather humored to the girl's attempt of resistance, the wolf-like creature snorted and turned its head back at her. She quickly reached for her phone to call for help but the creature pounced once more, faster and stronger. And this time it did not miss.

Twilight let out a grunt as tried to dodge but she was too slow. Its claws tore through her sleeves scratching her forearm. Her phone dropped with the monster as it crashed onto the wall, taking a good portion of the parking lot with it. The whole structure trembled right to its foundation wobbling dangerously.

She wasn't sure if that was the end of the beast and Twilight decided that she wasn't gonna wait around to find out. She bolted away from the parking garage, panting heavily and holding her scratched arm in pain.

Hearing the howl and the sound of objects being throw, Twilight knew that she made the right choice in this fight or flight situation. But that wasn't gonna save her just yet. Because right now that beast had a taste for her and it was coming to finish its meal.

Scared witless out of her life and without a way to call for aid, the young girl did the only thing she could do in this situation.

"Help! Someone! Anyone! HELP!"

**(Near the Huffs and Hooves)**

It was the same fun loving Pinkie Pie who skipped down the streets of the city, a wide eyed smile on her face and a song in her head. "Thanks again for letting me take home the cake. I wasn't sure if that place had doggy bags."

"No problem. I saw how you were looking at it." Flash shrugged beside her, wearing nothing but his inner shirt, having removed his coat for Pinkie to wear. "I take it you had a good time?"

"I had a great time!" She gleefully answered. "The food was ok but the entertainment was spectacular!"

"The music?"

"Pfft! No. The waiter." Pinkie nudged him by the elbow. The two of them were now free from that restaurant having completed their family obligations. Surprisingly enough, the supposed date went off a lot better than she could've hoped for.

"Ah. Yeah." Flash stifled a laugh. "Remember how he fell and the spaghetti spilled all over him?"

"Or how he got covered in sauce and totally looked like one of those horrifying clowns in that movie AT!" She might've gotten the name wrong but it was close enough.

"Tell me about it. I wasn't sure if I should laugh or run away screaming." The poor guy was soon helped by his co-workers who also slid off the food that was spilled doubling the mess. "That was probably the highlight of tonight. I didn't think I'd laugh so hard."

"Are you kidding? Did you see the juice coming out of my nose!?"

"Pinkie. I think the whole restaurant saw the juice come out of your nose."

"Even better!"

"That's one way to leave a weird impression." The blue boy shrugged, still smiling. "Hey… anyway. Sorry for this whole… date thing. My dad can be pretty…"

"Blunt? Eager? Doting?"

"I was gonna say 'Direct' but those work too. But he does it out of love. He probably thinks that getting you and me on this date will bring us closer together. I'm sorry if it was… kind of awkward at the beginning."

"Awkweird." She corrected chuckling with him. "And no big. I told you. My parents are totally the same. It's always 'Pinkie, why don't you go out there?' or 'Pinkie, your sister has a boyfriend already. Why don't you get someone special?' or something like that."

"Heh… I guess parents will be parents after all."

"And besides, I had totes fun!"

And honestly enough, Pinkie wasn't lying. While the initial cringeness and horror left her bones rattling inside, she enjoyed most of the evening. She thought that she would humiliate herself by doing something wrong or mess up in some way with the food. But thankfully the waiters' clumsiness broke the ice and she and Flash spent the rest of that night talking and mostly ranting about family and possibly overbearing sisters. They also had some close taste in music, finding more common ground with him than she ever thought possible. All in all, she enjoyed her date, both the food and the entertainment that came with it.

"I'm glad." Flash said rubbing the back of his head shyly. "I honestly never visited a place that fancy before either. The only fine-dining experience I've ever had was back home. And believe me, it was a nightmare."

That last bit came as a surprise to Pinkie as well. It was only recently that she discovered how loaded Flash's family was. Even Rarity went on and on about the gaudiness of that place and how expensive their food can be.

"Meh. It was a good change of pace. Having parties every day is fun but taking things slow once in a while can be good for you."

"Well I'm glad you see it that way. It's nice to see the other side of Pinkie Pie. You're really cute, you know that." They arrive at his car that was parked at the corner of the street.

"I uh… aheh." Her face suddenly warmed up to the compliment. It's not every day people call her cute or adorable. "Thanks."

"We should really hang out more often. I'm sure we'll have lots of fun with your friends along for…" He paused so suddenly when his ears perked to a familiar voice in the distance. "Did you hear that?"

"Oh! Sorry. That was probably my tummy rumbling. I had loads of ice cream earlier and I think it's catching up to me."

"No. Not that. Listen." The two of them put their ears out into the wind trying to get a gist of the voice. There was something… or someone… calling.

"Help! Somebody help!"

They gasped. "Someone's in trouble!"

The pair quickly took action and bolted off. They followed the cry for help which led them to a dark alleyway.

"Hello?" Flashed called out. "Is someone there?"

"Help!"

"Stay back!" Pinkie warned as she jumped in front of the boy, opening the doggie bag containing her pastry before dropping to a combat stance. "I got explosive cake and I'm not afraid to use it!"

They heard a ruffling noise from the alley followed by loud trampling footsteps. Whoever it was, was running as fast as she could. The two of them braced but quickly dropped their stance when they recognize the person running.

"Twilight?" Flash barely got a word out when the frightened girl jumped from the darkness and into his arms, hugging him desperately.

"Help! It's right behind me!" She pointed to the shadows, trembling at whatever it was that chased her. The pair wasn't sure what was going on but it didn't matter. If it was threatening their friend, it was an enemy. They quickly got back on their stance and even Spike decided to make a stand for himself, leaping from his owner's backpack.

They braced and waited, with Flash grabbing a trash bin lid and raising it up like a shield like a certain hero of old.

They waited… and waited…

But nothing came.

No growl, no barks, no man or monster. Only the shadow and the wind that blew with the stench of garbage.

"I… don't think it's there." Pinkie stated, squinting her eyes just to make sure. "Nope. Nothing. Nada."

"What was chasing you?"

Twilight shook her head furiously. "I… I don't know! It was some… giant shadow ghostly… wolf thing!" A giant what now? "I know it sounds strange but it chased me all the way from the old parking garage. It was huge and I think it tried to eat me and… ow!"

"Twilight! You're hurt!" Flash panicked when he noted the nasty gash on her forearm. He looked at the condition and shook his head. "That's a bad one. We need to get it treated right now before it gets worse. I got a first-aid box in my car. Follow me."

She did so without a complaint. And thankfully Flash had some skill in first-aid, applying all the necessary medicine before wrapping the wound with bandages. They kept their guard up all the while, making sure that whatever chased Twilight wasn't going to take them by surprise. But they doubt that the attacker would come here seeing how many people were around.

From there, the girl explained her situation to them though a few of those details were blurred out from all the fright.

"So… you were attacked by an animal?" Flash inquired, adding the final touches to her bandages.

"I don't know what it was." Twilight said, finally calming down from her earlier fright. "From what I can tell, it's not from this world. It was a magical creature. Made from the same magic that Sunset and I felt yesterday."

"Oooh. Ominous." Pinkie stated, gorging into her cake which she was planning to use as a weapon earlier. "So… what was it?"

"That's just it. I don't know." Twilight grunted. "I couldn't even see it… or even touch it. It's like… it wasn't even there. But it was there because I have the scar to prove it."

"Easy Twilight." Flash insisted on that matter, pulling her arm back for him to finish. "There. That should do it. Feeling any better?"

The girl flexed the wound a bit and flinched. "Much better. Thanks Flash."

"Hey no problem. Who knew that all those First-Aid lessons with Ms. Cheerilee would actually come in handy? But… we should probably go to a hospital and get that checked out just in case."

"No!" She covered her mouth holding the yell back. "I mean… no. I'll be fine. I have a fully functioning lab back home. I'll be sure to treat it properly when I get back. If I go to a hospital, they'll have to notify the school and Principal Celestia. And I'd rather keep her and the other students out of this. At least for now."

"You sure that's such a good idea? I mean if this thing is dangerous, shouldn't we let people know?"

"The winter holidays are coming up soon, not to mention Applejack's family reunion. I don't want to start a panic or getting hurt because of this. Besides, if this thing is magical, then the only ones who can fight this thing is us. Anyone else involved will only get in the way."

"I…" Flash opened his mouth to argue but couldn't find much reason to fight back. Twilight always has been the best when it came to arguments. And she was right. Other than the seven of them, everyone else was pretty much an unneeded burden. They had no magic like these girls. No powers to move objects with your mind, super strength or even make sugary sweet explode on a whim. These girls were special. Individuals who were specifically given these powers to fight the evil that came at them. And him? He was nothing compared to them. "Alright Twilight. Since you guys are the magic expert on this, I'll let you handle this. Just… please be careful."

"Thanks for understanding." She nodded in gratitude. "And… sorry for ruining your suit."

The boy looked down to his slightly stained outfit where a hint of red dotted his shirt. "Huh? Oh this? Pfft. This is nothing. It's just some rental. I'm sure it'll come off with a bit of washing."

"Speaking of washing. What are you two doing here?"

They froze at the question. "No reason!"


	4. A Chance Meeting

**Chapter 4: A Chance Meeting**

**(Saturday) (Canterlot Mall)**

The Canterlot Mall was buzzed with activity today. With the weekend rolling in, it wasn't much of a surprise to find this place fully packed to the brim with people nearing shoulder to shoulder just trying to get from one point to another.

Twilight considered her friends to be the most unique bunch of all. They were pretty much the only people in the whole world who she could relate to. The list of those she knows who can actually use magic wasn't exactly long which often made her feel like an outcast amongst the other students. It was a feeling she was very much familiar with even before she enrolled in CHS. Being the odd one's out left a scar in her. No one understood what she went through. And thankfully her friends were the most understanding of them all.

"You were attacked!?" She only wished they'd be quiet about it.

"Shhh!" She hushed Sunset as her sudden outburst caused the crowd in the cafeteria to glance in their direction. "Keep it down, will you? Yes. I was attacked."

"And you didn't bother to call and tell us!?" Sunset gripped the edges of the table trying her best to control her voice. "What were you thinking?"

"I lost my phone when I ran." She explained. "It didn't exactly wait for me to call. But I'm fine now."

Sunset pulled up the girl's bandaged arm and pointed at it for all to see. "You call this fine!? You might as well get mauled by a dragon! Arghh! I knew I should've gone with you. Ugh… what was I thinking leaving you to explore on your own? You could've gotten lost and alone. And with no way of calling for help, it could've been much worse."

"Yes. But it didn't."

"So what happened?" Applejack asked, sipping through her soda in anticipation. "Did you fight the monster off?"

"Did you use your powers and throw it across the alley like Daring Do in the Cavern of the Chupacabra?" Rainbow questioned, also looking intrigued, ignoring Fluttershy's adorable glare. "Or lead it to one of your elaborate traps like in Crypt of the King!?"

"Uh… none?" She answered deflating the multicolor-haired girl's excitement. "After I got patched up, I stayed with Pinkie for the night. I didn't feel like being alone after I went through. I tried using my powers but I couldn't even touch it. It was like it was there and… not there at the same time. So I ran instead."

"Ah man. And here I was, thinking there'd be action in this story."

"Rainbow!" Rarity scolded. "Life of a friend here? Remember?"

"Yeah yeah. But we already know she made it out with just a scratch. I was hoping for more danger and…" Their glares made it clear that they were not in the mood. "Uh… so… we're all really glad that you're ok?"

"Oh you poor thing." Fluttershy interjected, reaching for Twilight's wound. "I know some medicine that'll make it feel all better."

"Thanks but no thanks." Twilight waved it off. "I had a nurse check it out this morning. She said I just need to keep it covered for a few weeks. I'm just glad I ran into Flash and Pinkie when I did."

"Flash and Pinkie?" The gang turned to one of the suspects in question.

"I… was… getting cake!" Pinkie explained though somehow it sounded rather believable. "After my uh… outing, I met him along the way?"

"Oh right! Your date!" Rarity squealed. "I completely forgot about it. How was it? The restaurant I mean. Was it fabulous? Did the ceiling sparkle like the stars when you were inside?"

"Uh… Rarity." Sunset thankfully intervened. "We're kinda dealing with Twilight's thing right now." Pinkie brushed off the sweat from her forehead in relief. "But we'll get back to her afterwards."

Another betrayal!

"So any luck finding this source of magic?" Applejack questioned. "You were quite obsessed with it yesterday."

Twilight's face beamed. "As a matter of fact, I did. I managed to trace the source to the Natural History Museum. The signal was strongest there and that's also where I first met the shadow monster. My hypothesis is that they brought in an artifact and didn't know of its magical nature. Someone must've used it by accident."

"Ok, that's good." Sunset nodded, finally calming down from her earlier outburst. "So what do we do?"

"Well I'm planning to visit the museum this afternoon and check out the new Yaztec exhibition. It shouldn't take more than an hour to find…"

"Up tut tut." Rarity waved her finger at her. "Sorry darling but if my memory serves, the museum is hosting an event to help fund the construction of a new wing this weekend. The place will be closed to the public until then. And unless you have money to put in the giant pot, you may as well not come at all."

"But… then how am I supposed to find the thing if I can't even get in?"

"Can't you just wait till the exhibition is over?" Sunset suggested.

"No we can't! Whatever this object is, is connected to the monster that attacked me. Who knows what kind of damage it can do if we leave it alone? Other people might get hurt. Like it or not girls, but we're the only ones who can stop it. I need to find a way in as quickly as possible. I don't suppose anyone got ideas?"

The gang looked at one another but fail to pop any plan.

Until Sunset recalled something. "Wait… I think I might know a way. Flash said that his dad was hosting this event. Maybe I can get in as his Plus-1."

"You mean 'I' can get in." Twilight corrected.

"Oh no you're not. After what happened last night, you're staying as far away as possible from that place."

"But this could be the biggest discovery since our cruise at sea!"

"And just like those times, we were all in danger."

"You do remember that was Rainbow's fault, right?" Everyone quietly snuck a glance to the girl in question who returned with an awkward laugh, hiding her face behind her soda. "Anyway, this is ridiculous. I can totally handle myself. Besides, it won't be that dangerous. I'll be in a party."

"All the more reason for you not to go."

"I was the one who found the source of the magic. I deserve to go!"

"Twilight. You're dealing with powers that we've never even seen before."

"Which is why I'm the one who has to go. I'm the only one who knows how to handle the device capable of tracking it." She barked back. "And if you're so worried, why don't you come along as well!?"

"Fine then!" Sunset reached for her phone and immediately sent a text to Flash. Thankfully she never removed his number from her contact list. Hopefully he still has her number. "We'll both go to the museum and search for this mystical item. TOGETHER!"

"Fine!"

Fluttershy leaned in on the fashionista. "You think it's a good idea to leave them alone like this?"

Rarity chuckled with the others. "A single young boy going with two dates in an evening party for the rich and snooty? How scandalous~. What ever would they say?"

"It's not a date!" They replied hastily just as Flash answered her text back.

"Nothing good, that's for sure." The cowgirl whispered. "Speaking of parties. You're all still going to my family reunion tomorrow, right?" They all nodded, confirming their attendance. "Good. It's gonna be the biggest one yet."

"And the Rainbooms will be there to liven things up with our awesome gig!" Dash strummed her air guitar finely. "We all set for rehearsal this evening?"

"You all practice without me. I'm gonna be using a little strength magic to add the final touches in the barn with Big Mac."

Fluttershy was about to add something to the conversation but was interrupted when her cellphone rang. A message popped up on the screen which was short was quick to the point. "Uh… Twilight. I have a text here for you."

"For me?" The glassed girl raised a curious brow. "From who?"

"It's from Timber. He's apparently looking for you. I have no idea how he got my number though."

"Timber!" Twilight slapped her forehead and groaned. "I totally forgot. We were supposed to be on a date today. It must've completely slipped my mind. And he can't contact me either."

Sunset gave a coy smirk. "Aha… I guess that means you won't be going to that party after all. Too bad. I guess I'll be doing the investigation tonight."

Would it be petty to use her telekinetic powers to tilt that plastic cup on her shirt? Because right now that was a very tempting prospect.

"I'll have to tell him to call it off."

"You're gonna blow him off, just like that!?"

"I have to. This is a really important matter. I'm sure he'll understand."

"Of course he will." Sunset teased, imitating her sweet little voice. "Dear Timber. I'm so sorry. But I have to bail on our date tonight. I'm just going on another date in a big fundraiser party with Flash Sentry to investigate some magic disturbance. Oh did I also mention that I'm going with Flash Sentry? A boy from my school?" Her grin was so irritating that she just wanted to slap it off her face. "Yeah… try to spin that into something positive."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Sunset on this, darling." The fashionista added. "Timber is your boyfriend and he's taken time off from his busy schedule to visit you. You can't just blow it off just because of a magical emergency."

"But… the magic and…"

"Take it easy Twily." The redhead rebel cooed. "It's not every day you get to meet your boyfriend. Why not chill for a while? Get your mind off last night."

With everyone seeming putting their bits on Sunset's side, Twilight could do nothing but sigh in defeat and comply with their wishes.

"Ugh… fine. Here." She handed over her magical tracking device. "I've already calibrated the sensor readout. It should point you in the direction of the source. Find out what it is and call me when you do. I uh… gotta go."

"Relax. I know how to handle your toy. Now go have fun. I'm sure Timber is also getting worried about you." They watched as the young brain of the group vanished from sight leaving the gang to finally relax. "I should probably head out too. I'll see you guys later?"

"Ahem!" Rarity coughed to grab your attention. "And just where do you think you're going darling?"

"Uh… home?" She shrugged. "Flash already agreed to pick me up at my place. I need to get change."

"And what, pray tell, are you planning to wear to the event?"

"My… uh… usual attire?" Sunset answered back like it wasn't a big deal for her, which… Rarity could understand.

"You do know that this is a black-tie event right?" The fashionista reminded scanning the girl from top to bottom. "This isn't just some event dear. It's a gathering of the rich and influential. No offense darling, your attire is very much you. But if you go to that party with that then you may as well be wearing rags. Everyone will be staring at you and I can imagine you don't want to stand out now, do you?"

"Well no…"

"Perfect! Then we have just enough time to get you a new dress." She practically teleported to Sunset's side waving her arms around in an arc. "We need something bold, something wild, something volatile! Something that screams to the world and says… I am here! Look at me!"

"Uh… what happened to not standing out?"

"Everyone in that party will want to stand out dearie." Rarity explained with an honest smile. "And by standing out, you will blend into the crowd like a grasshopper on a tree. No need to thank me, dear. What are friends for if not obnoxiously intruding in someone else's love life? Now come on!" She grabbed the girl by the arm and disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving the rest of the gang behind.

"She was just looking for an excuse to shop, wasn't she?" Applejack stated which everyone agreed almost immediately. "Yup… that's what I thought."

**(Twilight's House)**

Twilight panted heavily when she hopped off the bus. She wished she had biked to the mall instead but unfortunately her wounded arm prevented her from doing so. Her home was just a few steps away. She still had time to clean up and get changed before Timber…

"Twilight?"

"Bwah!" She fumbled on her house keys, nearly dropping them. "Y… you're here? Already?"

"Well I was here for a while now actually." He replied, smiling weakly. Crud, that didn't look good. What kind of a girlfriend was she to keep him waiting outside her house? "I tried calling you but your phone wasn't working." Because it was torn to pieces by a ginormous wolf monster!

"Ah… yeah. I uh… dropped it. Somewhere. Ahehehe…"

"Oh ok. So… are we still on for our date?"

"Absolutely! Totally! Yeah! Just uh… give me a minute to change. Ahehe…"

He nodded quietly before his eyes turned to her arm. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"What? Oh! This little thing? It's nothing." She hid the bandages away. "It was a cooking accident. I mean… science experiment gone wrong! Yeah… that sounds reasonable. Be back in a sec!" She then slammed the door shut and immediately got to changing.

**(Afternoon) (Sunset's house)**

Flash couldn't really remember the last time he drove to this place. Back when he was still going out with Sunset, he looked forward to coming here every time. Despite her cruel behavior back then, he always saw the beauty in her. She was like a diamond that needed a little smoothing around the edges. And thankfully Twilight came and made her shine even brighter than ever.

Parking his car by the road, the boy fixed his coat and adjusted his hair. But then he realized there really wasn't much of a point seeing as this wasn't a real date either. Sunset made it clear in her text that she and her friends were going on a magical adventure and that it could also be dangerous so they shouldn't stick around together. It was her polite way of saying that he was nothing more than a burden should things get heated.

Only magic can deal with magic. And right now only those girls had the power to deal with mystical monsters from another world.

Walking to the front of the house he breathed a sigh of confidence before ringing the bell button on the side. He wondered if he should've brought flowers. No… that would be too daring. It wasn't a date. Just an outing with friend. Besides, the only flower he got on him was the rose in his breast pocket.

"Coming!" He heard her voice on the other side. There was a commotion that followed. Furniture being moved, things crashing and curses thrown around. "Ugh! Stupid lamp!"

"Sunset?" Flash spoke up. "You ok in there?"

"Yeah just a sec! Argh! How do you even put this…? Aha!" He quickly prompted himself ready as he heard the locks being undone. "Sorry. I'm not used to putting this on."

"No problem. I was in the same situaaaaaa… tion…?" If he was in a cartoon, his jaw would be hitting the floor so hard that it'd sink to the planet's crust. "Whoa…"

His heart skipped a beat.

Sunset was dropped dead gorgeous. He was used to punk rebel sense of fashion that showed her strength and independence to the world. But now she traded that skirt and jacket for a short sleeved dress. A long red dress with orange trims that went incoherent with her hair complimenting her arm length gloves. Her hair was still the same but the smell of perfume and the small tinge of makeup that was applied enhanced her natural beauty.

"Do I look weird?"

Perish the thought madam!

Flash shook his head violently that it was amazing that it didn't come off. Was it getting hot in here? Why was everything going blurry all of a sudden? Oh right, he needed to breathe. When did that stop being an automatic thing? Darn body was betraying him just like his face. Oh no… was he red? He was red, wasn't he? He could feel it. He was probably even redder than her hair.

Oh god, she's looking at him. Probably expecting an answer. Quick you moron! Say something! Something clever! Anything!

"Mbuhwll…"

Sunset blinked. "What?"

You stupid idiot!

"I mean… no! Not at all!" He tucked one foot back rubbed the back of his neck. Only did he realize that his hands were empty. Damn it! If he knew she was gonna come like this she would've brought her flowers or a whole dang chocolate shop! Where's Pinkie when you need her!? "You look… absolutely… beautiful."

She returned the shy gesture, smiling back awkwardly. "Thanks. Rarity picked it out for me." A thousand blessings go to fashionista! "I… don't normally attend super formal events so I didn't know what to wear."

"Well she certainly made the right choice. That dress really suits you."

"You think so?"

"I know so." He smiled warmly which made the redhead blush in turn. "You'll fit right in with the crowd. I think they might even be jealous."

"Ha! Now you're just exaggerating."

"We'll find out." He paused when an idea came to mind. "Oh! One second." With a quick motion he plucked the rose from his breast pocket and tucked it neatly atop her ear. "There… now you're even more beautiful." Sunset chuckled back at his sweet actions but didn't decline it. "Shall we go, my lady?"

The boy skillfully offered his arm to which she graciously accepted.

Date or not… Flash was definitely gonna make the most out of it.

**(Movie Theater)**

The movie was mediocre to say the least.

The plotline was simply, almost a pale imitation to its prequel. An ordinary sleepy town out in the countryside is visited by a snow monster/ghost and is slowly wreaking havoc across its populace. The locals believe it to be a series of bad luck but several teens witness the monster. They try to tell the folks but like in most cliché movies, no one believes them. And like before these kids band together and try to stop the monster themselves. Everything going according to the tropes.

_"Yarrow! No!"_ The main protagonist shouted as his love interest was taken by the monster into a dark hole. _"How could you Bethany!? We trusted you!"_

_"Mwahahaha! Fools! This has all been a ruse! A ruse to get you all here!"_

Twilight shoved a handful of popcorn in her mouth as the movie reaches its climax. The teens have cornered the monster in its lair preparing to slay it for good. But it was later discovered that one of the kids was the main villain this whole time as she was the one who summoned the monster here in the first place.

It was a nice plot twist but it wasn't gonna save the movie from all the critics who are no doubt, ready to give it a half-baked score.

"Something wrong?" Timber whispered noting the girl's bored expression. "You look… sad."

"What? No! I'm having. Really. I'm just… really focused on the movie. It's really interesting." The answer seemed to satisfy her boyfriend. It wasn't a total lie. But to be honest she stopped listening to the story about half-way through. The sudden exposition about magic in the plotline really got her thinking about the magic source in the museum. She tried not to think about it and focused on the date but the thought of discovering it first itched at the back of her mind.

_"So you were the one who summoned it!?"_ The protagonist barked. _"So you're the one who's behind all this chaos!"_

_"Of course I did! Do you really believe that monsters exist in this world!? I created the beast from magic. It serves me above all!"_

Serve? Summoned?

"A summoned monster?" Twilight gave the idea a thought. "Huh… that does sound plausible."

_"You'll never get away with this! We'll stop you!"_

_"Oh please, David. Don't be such a cliché hero. Because…"_ An inky shadow surrounded the villain changing her form. _"… I've already won!" _She then came out of the ink in the shape of a giant wolf.

Twilight's body stiffened while a few others screamed internally in the theater. Memories from last night began to pour in. The fear and terror she felt back then slowly resurfaced making her body freeze. Her wound began to throb and every fiber of her being wanted to do run away. She closed her eyes as the monster leap.

Flash! Help!

xxxxxxxxxx

"Are you sure you're ok?" Her green haired boyfriend asked as they left the theater, the movie ending in a cliffhanger baiting folks to an annoying sequel. "You looked pretty pale back there."

Twilight took a deep breath before she answered. "I'm fine. Really. That… scene just took me by surprise, that's all." And frightened the soul out of her too. "I just need a minute to catch my breath."

"Sorry. I didn't think it would've been that scary. I would've taken you to a different movie."

"No no… it's not your fault. Just some bad memories. I just… need a moment."

Timber gave her a hand and smiled cutely. "Hey, you know I got ya. We still got time. If you want, we can probably grab a bite before we head off to the botanical garden. I know a diner close by that serves the best clam chowder ever. We can forget all about that lame movie over a good meal."

Food does sound good right about now. It would certainly take her mind off that monster.

"Yeah… that does sound like a good idea." She nodded, her color returning to her face.

But the sound of a crowd roaring in the distance caught their attention. They turned to the source finding a line of people arrayed outside a building. Twilight then recalled that the Museum of Natural History wasn't far from the movie theater. The thought of it must've slipped her mind.

"Whoa…" Timber gawked at the people all dressed in their fancy outfits. "Looks like there's some big party at the museum. Look at all them suits. Ever wondered what it'd feel like to actually attend one of those?"

No. But she was sure Sunset would. Judging by how packed the place was, her best friend was probably there right now with Flash, no doubt looking for the source of the magic.

But she already agreed to leave it all to Sunset. She can handle herself, right? There shouldn't be any reason for her to go over there and meddle. She should just stay here and enjoy her date.

…!

"What the?" Twilight felt a tingle in her body. It was that same tingle that she felt in school. A wave of that mysterious magic. It acted like some kind of shockwave, reacting her body's unique geode.

There was no doubt about it. Someone had used the same magic again and in a short burst. Just enough to be felt on the skin of her hair. Something must be up.

"Hey… Timber. Sorry about this but do you mind if we cut our date short?"

"What?"

"I know I know. I'm sorry. I feel terrible after you went over everything for me. And I really want to spend time with you. It's just that… well…" She gritted back sharply. "It's kind of a magical emergency."

"But…"

She was already bolting off before he could ask. "I'll make it up to you! I promise!"

**(Museum of Natural History)**

Sunset felt that wave of energy too. It was softer, more controlled, unlike the first time she felt it half way across the city. Twilight was definitely right about the source. Whatever it was, it was definitely coming from the museum. The hair on her head practically vibrated from it. Still, she kept her game face on. She couldn't possibly do anything to ruin the night for everyone, especially for this kid who was grinning from ear to ear like he was the luckiest man alive.

He was kind of adorable looking like he had just won the lottery. It actually kind of reminded her of when they first started dating. He would smile sweetly at her even though she was cruel to others. The light in his eyes always sparkled whenever they were together.

Ugh…

She slapped her cheeks when the old memories surfaced. Why did she have to remember that now of all time?

Thankfully the car came to a stop, breaking her train of thoughts and a valet came by and opened the door for her.

"Master Flash. Welcome." An older gentleman greeted by the door. He had that butler attire with the goatee to match it. "Your father has been expecting you. Please enter. I shall have the valet handle your car with care."

"Thanks Edmund." The boy nodded to him like he was an old friend and quickly rushed to her side. "Ready to go?"

"As I'll ever be." Sunset replied grabbing his arm and slowly walked in. "So… Master Flash?"

"Eh… don't think about it." He waved it off gently. "Come on. I'll show you around the exhibition."

xxxxxxxxxx

Much to Sunset's surprise, the whole museum looked as if it was reconfigured for this whole event. The banners were changed to match the theme of the event along with all the environment. The main hall where all the rocks and dinosaur display used to be were removed to make space for all the guests to mingle in. Tables were put on the sides with treats and refreshments. And at the far end, the main attraction. The Yaztec collection exhibit.

And much to her relief there were actually a few kids her age hanging around here too. Though most of them looked like they came from Crystal Prep Academy. You can recognize that high and mighty demeanor anywhere. But at the very least she and Flash wouldn't be the only teens around here meaning they wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb.

"Wow… they really went all out with this place."

Flash nodded proudly in agreement. "Yeah. My dad can be a perfectionist. He rented out the whole place for the weekend."

"How much is that costing him? It can't be cheap to rent a whole venue like this… or the catering for that matter."

"No clue. But like Filthy Rich says: You gotta spend money to make money. Or… was it throw money at a problem and it'll go away?"

"I think you're right on both marks." She chuckled. "And… speaking of your dad. Of all the time we were dating back then – I don't think I've ever met your parents."

"It's a good thing too. Dad would've hated the old you." Ouch that was uncalled for. "Oh… wait. That came out wrong. I didn't mean it like that."

"It's fine." She reassured him patting his shoulder. "I'm used to it. The old me is gone now. I'm the new Sunset Shimmer, remember?"

"Yeah… new." He tried to laugh it off but failed. His eye fell upon her chest. "Uh… just to clarify. Is that thing supposed to do that?"

Sunset looked down to her chest and immediately noted Twilight's tracking device acting up. That was pretty quick too. Barely ten steps in and they were already in business.

"Huh. That was quick." That was plainly obvious. "Guess that means we get to work early." She turned to the boy and gave a mischievous grin. "So… Flash. Weren't you gonna give me the tour of the exhibit?" The boy flashed a smile and was more than happy to lead the way.

They acted like a pair, slowly following the tick of the tracker. From there they came across many relics from an ancient civilization, all looking quite intriguing if not a little stone-age. From bow to whip, to slings and spears. Heck they even got a mannequin wearing a fully restored armor of one of their warriors. Rarity would totally want that feather hat for her collection. It'll greatly inspire her for a bird costume. But whoever these people were, it was clear that they were pretty warmongering. Hardly anything remained that wasn't associated with battle.

"Anything?"

Sunset grunted in reply. "No. This thing is pointing all over the place. Maybe it's broken." She tapped on the device a few times which then prompted it to focus on an object close by. "There! Found it! It's… wait… now there's two?"

"Two?" Flash raised a quizzical look. "Is that possible?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "There could be more than one item here that possesses magic. That would explain why this thing is pointing us in circles." Another blip appeared. "And now there's three."

"Can everything here be magic?"

"No. That'd be too obvious. I'd know if there was that much magic in one place." Her eyes then turned to the largest light on the scanner which in turn darted towards an object at the sideline of the corridor. "And it looks like we found our first winner."

Flash eyed the object in the glass display and tilted his head to see it in a different perspective.

It was a dagger of sorts. The short handle was already too worn for it to be of any use but the blade itself was still in mint condition. There were runic marks carved onto it which looked like words… maybe even a quote.

"This broken thing?" Flash inquired. "Are you sure? It doesn't look magical."

"Definitely sure." Sunset confirmed it with a nod. "I can feel the magic within it now that I'm close enough. It's giving out the same feeling as the one I felt from school. Do you know what it is?"

"You're gonna have to ask my dad." He laughed awkwardly. "He's the one who found it and not to mention a history professor too. In fact, all the items you see in this exhibit came from his collection. We normally store it in the house but they probably just gather dust."

"Wow… your dad is quite the collector. Cleaning all that must be a pain. Does your mom allow it?"

"I wouldn't really know. My mom passed away when I was very young."

"Oh!" Sunset flinched. "Uh… sorry."

But the boy waved it off without a problem. "Don't be. I hardly remember her, if at all. But I am curious about this thing. I wonder how it feels to be able to see magic. As far as I can see, it's just an old knife."

"It's actually a dagger."

"GAH!" They startled when a familiar stoic voice interrupted them.

"M… Maud!?" The redhead nearly choked on her spit recognizing Pinkie's sister. "Wh… what are you doing here?"

"I work here." She said deadpanned, sporting a maid outfit with a tray of drinks in hand. "The museum curator had all staff come here as extra workforce. It's extra pay so I volunteered."

Flash whispered. "Do volunteers get paid?"

"They do in my book." Fair point. "Anyway, if you're curious about the object. It's called the Yaztec Sacrificial Dagger. Like its name suggest, it is a dagger used for ritual sacrifices. The Yaztec was an ancient tribe of people with the sole focus on warfare and conquering everyone that didn't agreed with their views." Sounds about right with everything they've seen so far. "Their Shamans would sacrifice animals onto altars believing that it would grant them unique powers of that animal." Ah… ok then. Rule #1: Don't ever show this to Fluttershy. Ever.

"Wow… that's kind of descriptive." Sunset noted. "I didn't think you'd be interested in anything here other than rocks and gemstones."

"I don't. But the curator told us that we should memorize these things. And… I am the museum's tour guide after all." Ah right. She forgot about that.

"Then… you know every item here?"

"Most that are on display. I memorized each of them as part of my extra pay. The centerpiece however, will be explained by the curator and the owner of the collection."

"Great! Then… I don't suppose you'd mind explaining a few other items for us now, would you?"

Maud blinked. "Actually I do. I'm still on the clock. And doing extra work doesn't get me a bonus."

"Please Maud?" Flash pleaded. "We could really use some help. And you're better with any of this stuff than we ever could."

The elder Pie looked at him, then up and down, blinked twice and then shrugged. "I suppose I can't say no to you."

She can't?

"Really?"

"But you'll have to help me." She added quickly enough offering them a drink from her tray. "I get a 3 minute break for every eight glasses I return. So…" The two looked to each other with a small smile and quickly drank all the glasses in the tray. "Wonderful. What would you like to see next?"

"Wait." Sunset stopped. "I need to record this. Otherwise Twilight will never let me hear the end of it. Do you think they'll mind if I take pictures?"

"It's an exhibition." Flash reminded. "I think they'll insist."

**(Applejack home)**

Applejack let out a good hollering as she put in the last of the tables into the barn. It was hard work but it certainly paid off. By tomorrow evening, this whole place will be packed with her entire family and a few selected friends from school. The barn would be packed so full that it would be bursting at the seams. Thankfully the outside was still open for everyone.

"Phew. I'm glad that's done." The cowgirl declared rolling her arm after a full day's use of her super strength. "I'd say that this place is ready for the Apple Family Reunion. We got the ciders stored up to the ceiling, Granny's making her pie, the tables and chairs are all set and the Rainbooms will be playing on stage for the whole world to hear."

"Eeyup." Big Mac agreed with his usual one word-liner. He pulled a rope by the door raising the large banner with a big large apple plastered in the middle.

"Nice job. Now all that's left is getting the animals in. Don't want the cows and horses messing all our hard work."

"Nope."

"Oh oh!" Apple Bloom waved her hand, jumping up and down. "Can I help? I've always wanted to wrangle the animals."

"Hehe. Not today Sugar Cube. Big Mac and I are plenty already. But you can still help Granny in the house. We're gonna need a big meal for everyone tomorrow and she's running solo."

"Aww… fine."

Yup everything was going to be perfect tomorrow. She just hopes that this whole magic business that Twilight got into wasn't gonna bite them in the rear. They could all use a break from this magic nonsense and enjoy school life like ordinary kids. Not going out on dangerous adventures that would risk the lives of every citizens in Canterlot City… or at least not those in school. Seriously though. If they can go one semester without encountering another magical she-demons or ancient magical monsters, she wouldn't complain.

"Come on big brother. You handle the horses in the stable, I got the cows. And make sure you put those lamps away. A single drop from those and we can kiss this place goodbye."

The field of her family's farm was a majestic sight no matter what time or day they were in. With its open land for grazing, the apple orchard nearby and the cornfield next door, you can pretty much find a whole big bounty every season. It was practically her version of paradise.

The stars had already conquered the sky when got to the cow pens. With their bright queen ruling over them with her soft warm glow. Now normally she'd just let these big eaters just laze around the field and turn in for the night. But with winter slowly approaching she'd rather have them inside the stables than to get sick.

"Alright you lazy lubs. It's bed time. That means getting in. And I'm talking to you too Mooriella. Don't think I've forgotten what you did to me last week. I'll remind you again that my hair is not a snack to chew on. And that goes double for you Clarice. Now giddiyup." The cows let out a yawning moo but complied nonetheless. They slowly slumped their way to the stables, their bells chiming in rhythm to their march. "Atta girls. Goodnight to you all. Don't you be dreaming of sheep now. Ahehehe. Eh?" She paused when she noted the numbers weren't right. "Wait a second. One two three four… hey where's Maible?"

The answer came in the form of a moo coming from the cornfield.

"Oh for the love of…" She held back the curse and quickly made her way to the source of the sound finding the not-so-lost cow hidden amongst the corn. "Maible. What do you think you're doing? Come on outta there. It's way passed your bedtime and you need to go in with the others." She leaned in to grab the bovine but found it suddenly whimpering back. "Eh? Maible! Come on girl. I'm tired and I still got a few errands to run. I don't have time to play hide and seek with you. Maible! Heeeee! Gotcha!"

"Mooo!"

"Whoa there!" Applejack hastily activated her super strength making sure that the cow wouldn't just bolt off. "What's gotten into you girl? You look like you just got the color sucked out of ya."

"Mooo~" Again it whimpered, slinking back to the ground, eyes furrowed in fear.

"Maible?" But just as Applejack was about to hoist it up, a rustling in the cornfield caught her attention. "H… hello? Is someone there?"

…

All she got was silence and the cold breeze blowing from the north.

No… there was someone… or something there. She can feel it.

Another rustling. It was moving faster and a lot closer.

"Apple Bloom? Big Mac? That you?" There was no reply. "If this is some kind of joke, it ain't funny. You're scarin the heebie-jeebies out of Maible." Then there was a growl. "Fellas?" Two brightly sharpened pupil-less eyes appeared and slowly began to approach her followed by a snarl. "Uh oh…"

The large creature pounced, its mighty jaw opening to swallow up its meal.

"Gang way!" But thankfully Applejack had quicker reflexes and bolted off while her cow ran the other way.

She ran. She ran fast and didn't bother to look back. Because whatever that creature was it was definitely not your ordinary predator. The darn thing was huge! About half the size of her barn but still huge either way.

Was that the thing that Twilight encountered in the city? The big bad wolf that can blow your house down like it was made out of wood and straw?

Why was it here? And why was it after her?

"Gah!" She flinched back when its claws took a swipe at her cutting a row of harvest down with barely an effort. "Hey! Watch it! They're not yet ripe! Do you know how long it took for us to grow these?" If it had any care whatsoever, it didn't show it. It just snarled back, preparing for another attack. "I guess you ain't interested?"

It pounced again and Applejack ducked under it. She made some distance between her and the creature finally reaching the end of the field. An ordinary gal would've run home immediately but Applejack wasn't an ordinary gal.

She quickly bolted to the barn. And with a burst of magic, she reached out for one of the tables and ripped a portion of it off using it like a club. Granny was gonna be ticked off later but she'll fix it when she got the time. Right now she was gonna make her stand. Nobody threatens her animals and gets away with it.

Like a lion answering the challenge, the beast burst out of the cornfield, huffing. The monster clearly matched Twilight's description word for word. It was huge, four legged and it definitely looked like a giant wolf.

Suddenly the creature snorted as if it was provoking her to attack. It wanted to play a game of chicken. Well fine. She knew the rules. She can play.

They locked eyes with one another for a brief moment trying to discern a hint of weakness. And for a moment they would've stayed there. Until the beast decided to go first.

It ran at her at full speed, fangs at the ready. Just as she planned.

The cowgirl dodged, and then in a moment of fumbling she swung the wooden plank at it with enough strength to make a crater. It'll take a while to redo all of the remodeling. But it was worth it. At least that monster was down for the count.

Or at least that's what she thought.

When the smoke finally cleared she realized something was wrong. The monster was still standing and it looked unscathed. There was no way in heck she could've missed something that huge at this close range.

Upon closer inspection she realized that her makeshift club had somehow gone through it like it was made out of smoke and shadow. She gasped and groaned when it swiped at her knocking her down like she was made out of sack of flour.

Panicking, the little girl quickly crawled through the barn hiding under tables and chairs. But she only delayed the inevitable. The beast let out a roar and began crushing through all in its path. Its large size and mighty jaw tore the furniture and walls destroying all the work she and her siblings did in the past week.

Eventually it found her, cornered by the wall, terrified out of her mind.

"YAHHH!" A fearsome roar suddenly echoed from the barn, a pitchfork in hand.

"Big Mac!?"

Her brother yelled out another mighty battle cry and began tossing hay bales at the creature trying his best to distract it. But they only seemed to ghost through the creature.

"Stop Big Mac! That don't work on it!" But her brother wouldn't listen and charged in with his pitchfork. He swiped at the beast getting at least four good swing. But like before, his attacks simply fizzed through it.

Annoyed by his feeble attempts, the creature swiped its tail at him sending the boy to the wall right opposite his sister. The sound of wood cracking only showed signs of how powerful it was. She cried out his name but to no avail. The monster then turned its attention back to her, preparing to swallow her whole.

Still, Big Mac wasn't out of the fight just yet. With what little strength he could muster, the boy reached out for one of the old oil lamps he tucked away and lit it up. And then with one swift motion he threw the lantern on the floor. The effects were nearly instant as the fire and oil spread around the ground. The straws of hay scattered around the area then spread the fire to different areas, illuminating the barn.

And from there she saw it clear. Or… at least that's what Applejack believed. When the barn lit up the monster no longer had any shadows to hide.

It was a shadow. A literal shadow of a beast. It had no physical form other than the eyes and teeth and the silhouette that gave away its shape.

Applejack feared that this creature would be the last thing she ever saw. She expected it to finish her with one big bite. She closed her eyes and braced for the inevitable, thinking of her friends and family. Her body shook. And she waited…

… and waited.

But the bite never came.

Was this it? Is this how death felt like? Was it supposed to be hot and painless?

She waited a while longer, but again nothing happened.

Her fear gripped much of her heart. But eventually curiosity kicked in and she cracked one eye open, expecting the creature to be there, snarling evilly at her. However… to her amazement… it was gone.

That frightening monster vanished like it bolted off the moment the fire spread. Applejack looked around, confused on how she was still standing – unlike the barn that was about to drop on her head.

"Big Mac!" She noted her brother lying on the ground, motionless. Applejack knelt down beside him, a sign of relief spread across her face when she realized that he was still breathing. "Oh thank the stars. I thought I lost you for a second there." But there was little time to debate when the wood that held the barn up began to creak and crack as fire gripped them. "Hang on. I'll get us out of here!"

"Arghh!"

"I know it hurts. Just… just hang onto me!" Using her super strength once more, Applejack hastily pulled her brother out right before the whole place came toppling down on them.

The whole barn lost its foundation and crumbled in an instant, becoming the city's biggest bonfire in a manner of minutes.

The cowgirl quickly laid her brother to the floor, trying to keep his head up. "Breathe Big Mac. Breathe for me. This ain't no time for quitting, partner. The great big orchard in the sky ain't open for business yet!"

"E… e…yup." He grunted painfully.

"Applejack!" Her little sister came over with Granny following not far behind.

"What in tarnation happened? My barn!"

"Forget the barn!" Applejack shouted at them, tears forming in her eye. "Call an ambulance!"

**(Museum of Natural History)**

"This is the ceremonial bowl of the Yaztec people." Maud explained gesturing to the third object in question. "It was used by their alchemists to brew potions using a variety of herbs to strengthen their bodies and senses to its peaks condition. The recipes for these potions are said to have been written on tapestries to pass the knowledge on from master to apprentice. However the text and translation have proven difficult and are yet to be announced. It is said that the revelation would be the big thing in the archeological business."

"Great story, Maud." Sunset smiled as she snapped a close up photo of the object. "A lot better than the last one. I wouldn't be able to tell one thing from another without your help. The magic on this item is stronger too."

"You're welcome." She offered the two another tray of drinks which they graciously accepted. Thankfully nothing here was served with alcohol. A bunch of drunken rich folks in a building full of priceless artifacts didn't fit very well. "Though honestly, I liked the statue." Of course she'd like it seeing how it was made of rocks.

"I still don't see anything." Flash gave out his point of view. "It just looks like a bowl to me. I wish I knew how magic feels like."

Sunset shrugged. "Well… I can't really explain it. Magic is just something I've had my whole life. When I was in Equestria, I could feel magic when I was just a foal. That uh… a baby horse by the way." Her ex just waved it off, taking it for what it was. "Think of like… an extra organ in your body… or maybe an extra limb. It's what gives us these unique powers like… having the ability to fly, being super strong or…"

"Having the power to read minds?"

Ah… right. "That one is different. But like I said, it's hard to explain."

"I'll bet." He shrugged. "It's hard to believe that some of the artifacts my dad brought from his exploration actually has magic in them. What does it all mean?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Sunset poked his nose teasingly. "Now come on. There's just one more signal on this tracker and it's pointing at those curtains. Any idea what's in there?"

Flash eyed the mysteriously covered object, thinking deeply but then shook his head in reply.

"That would be the centerpiece of the collection." Maud answered for him in the same stoic tone as ever. "A priceless artifact that depicts the center of the Yaztec culture. The curator will be presenting it in about… 15 minutes. It's supposed to be… grand. No one is allowed to view it until then."

"Well that's a bummer."

"Not entirely." Flash flashed a smile. "You already got all the photos you need. I'm sure you can spend another 15 minutes going around. Why don't we just enjoy the rest of the evening?"

Sunset gave it a thought. She was supposed to just identify the objects containing these mysterious magic, and honestly she already had pictures of 3 of them. Besides, the party here was not as dull as she thought it'd be. The music was adequate and so far the food and drinks were up to her standard. What was the rush?

"I suppose I can give this museum the benefit of the doubt." She grabbed the boy's arm clutching it tightly. "And besides. It is a party after all. Might as well make the most out of it."

_"YES!"_

The boy's thoughts surged into her. She could feel his elation and joy spread. It was kind of adorable.

But right before they could take one step together, they were quickly interrupted by that same butler again. "Pardon me Master Flash. But your presence is required at the entrance."

Flash blinked. "Me? Why?"

_"Oh come on! Why now!?"_

"I'm afraid we have a… security incident." Security incident? That sounded serious.

The blue haired boy sighed. A cacophony of curses sprang from his thoughts. With a quick motion he freed his arm from Sunset's grip and smile softly at her. "Sorry Sunset. I should probably look into this. Why don't you have a look around and see if anything else here has magic. I'll meet you here when the centerpiece presentation starts."

"Oh… sure." She wasn't sure why but she felt something pinch her heart when she let the boy go. Flash joined up with the butler and headed off for the entrance.

Sunset almost thought that she'd have to go through the rest of the museum alone until Maud spoke up. "Nice dress by the way."

"Huh? Oh… right. I wasn't sure what to wear for a black-tie event. This is actually my first time attending something this…"

"Gaudy?"

"Yeah… gaudy."

"I'm actually surprised." Maud added earning a confused look from the fiery dressed girl.

"Surprised about what?"

"I thought someone like you would be used to things like this."

"Me?" Sunset chuckled. "Have you met me? Do I look like someone who'd attend something like this? I can barely make my rent with my job at the sushi store."

"Yeah… but didn't you used to date Flash?"

She flinched back, mouth agape. "I… I don't see how that has anything to do with any of this."

"Flash's family is one of the most influential people in the whole city." Maud explained which somewhat surprised Sunset. Flash never really spoke much about his folks or his family. "In fact… his dad owns more than half of the items here."

"Half!?" The girl nearly spurt out her drink. "I thought he only owned the Yaztec stuff."

"That's also true. He donated all the pieces here from his expeditions so they're technically not his anymore. His lifetime discoveries netted him a lot. He's actually quite famous." She paused, letting the words sink in. "And when your parents are famous… the kids tend to be as well. I've seen Flash attend some high society gatherings before. It's kind of a thing for him."

"It is? That's strange. I wonder why he never told me about them." She wondered. "Is that what you meant when you said you couldn't say no him? Because his dad is the boss?"

"That… and that he's going to be my future in-law."

"What?" Sunset felt like she misheard but was suddenly confused when a rock smacked Maud's face. "Wait… did that rock just…"

Maud covered her mouth as her eyes widened simulating what seemed like the beginning of a startling gasp. "Oh. Sorry. Boulder just scolded me." Her… pet rock scolded her? "I shouldn't say anymore. She'll be angry if I break my promise." Oh come on! Now you're just teasing my curiosity.

xxxxxxxxxx

Flash grumbled lowly to himself as he followed Edmund to the entrance. The crowd around him has already passed, no doubt gathering for the presentation the centerpiece of this collection. Curse it all. He could've been spending this time with Sunset but nope. Instead he was here… for some reason.

"What's this all about, Edmund?" He asked finally, keeping his voice to a whisper. "If this is a security thing, shouldn't you call security about it?"

The butler lowered his head apology as he responded in a very professional manner. "I'm sorry sir. But a lady of questionable attire tried to get pass the front door. The guards managed to stop her before she could enter but she claims to know you and that she wwas invited. She called you out by name."

"She knows me?"

"Yes. She claims her name to be Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight!? The name lit up his brain like a bolt of lightning. He would've ran off immediately if they weren't already there. With a quick glance, he recognized the girl in question standing by the door with two rather intimidating guards flanking both her arms.

"Twilight!" He ran up to her, as she waved back weakly.

"Ahehe… hey there." She looked like a girl who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar, trying to laugh off the awkward situation. The next thing you know she'll say that this wasn't what it looks like. A bit on the cliché side but he wouldn't blame her if she did. "Sorry to barge in but could you uh…" Twilight gestured to the big burly men that were eyeing her suspiciously.

"It's alright guys. She's with me." And thankfully much to the girl's delight and confusion, they released her and stepped back. "What are you doing here Twilight? Sunset said you couldn't make it."

The girl dusted herself off, glad to know that she wasn't gonna get thrown out. "Yeah. I know. It's just that… I felt the magic pulse early and was afraid that shadow monster would show up again." That sounded logical. Though anyone else would probably say that she was crazy. "Plus I'm… also a bit curious about the magic artifact. I know it's kind of a last-minute thing but I don't suppose you can change your Plus-1 offer to 2?"

On a normal occasion, he'd probably say no. But for a magical disaster emergency and an adorable girl? Not a chance. Besides, it's not like he could just bounce her off back into the streets. That big bad wolf could attack her again.

"For you, anything." The blue haired boy answered, quickly removing the outer layer of his suit to cover her. "But just for safety, you should probably wear this. This is kind of a… black-tie event."

"So I've heard." She glanced around noting the many patrons all dressed like they were attending a ball in a palace. "Thanks again. I didn't mean to drop in like this unannounced. It's just that I can't stop thinking about that strange magic."

"I know." He chuckled. "Who would've thought that these old junk actually had magic in them?"

"It's more than old junk Flash. This is an unprecedented discovery."

"It is?" Flash inquired, waving his hand over to the butler, gesturing him that everything was fine.

"Absolutely!" Twilight's face beamed. "If I can somehow pinpoint the true source of this energy, hone it together and present it to the world. It would prove that magic does exist in this world. Think of the limitless possibilities we can do if we actually had magic. Natural magic here! We'd have a pool of untapped resource just waiting to be exploited. It can be turned into a renewable source of electricity, we'd have cars that can fly, the undisruptive power of communication! We'd be able to do what the ponies in Equestria could do."

"Then… even ordinary people could use magic." Flash cast a gaze to the palm of his hand fantasizing about the power he could hold. His greatest wish. His dream of being a part of that world. The world that Sunset and her friends see. "Are you saying that even a guy like me can do what you seven do every day?"

Twilight shrugged with an uncertain expression. "Well… I wouldn't rule that out. It is a possibility. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'd like to see these artifacts myself."

"Oh. Right." He let out a weak laugh. "Sorry. Got too excited there. Sunset already got pictures of the other three. We're just waiting for the last one to be announced." And just as he mentioned the last artifact, the lights suddenly dimmed signaling the start of the event. "And just in time. It's about to start." With one quick motion he reached for Twilight and pulled her up to the front of the large gathering at the main hall.

A single beam of light shined at the raised platform at the center of the hall illuminating the small display covered by a black sheet.

"Ladies and gentlemen." The museum curator, a rather large and tubby looking man with a few extra chins, began opening up with a loud and obnoxiously bombastic voice that could practically echo throughout the museum. "I thank you all for coming to this important event. The Natural History Museum is always delighted to entertain such refined guests in our establishment. It is thanks to all of you here, and of course our most beloved and respected benefactor, that we have been able to raise awareness for this humble place." A slow applause greeted him though mostly out of respect. "With your generous patronage, The Natural History Museum will at long last expand itself housing more of our world's greatest relics."

A few approving mumbles came forth though much of the audience remained silent.

"But enough about this place. It is all time I present to our hero who graciously donated all that you see here." He suddenly gestured his free hand forward to the crowd picking out a face hidden within. "Ladies and gentlemen. Honored guests. Please put your hands together and welcome Professor Sombra!"

The next round of applause was louder this time with the richer looking guests contributing the most with each joining the band with a thunderous roar. It drowned all manner of sounds, silencing and frightening even the night creatures away.

The singular light that shined on the curator quickly darted to the crowd picking him out like he was some kind of chosen one.

He was a tall gray skinned man with long hair as black as raven feathers, sideburns that went down to his chin, bright green eyes and held a presence that commanded respect. Every step he took was heavy and weighted. A malicious smile curled up on his lips as he approached the platform.

The applause grew louder and many others joined in to welcome the man.

All of them applauded. Except for a single former unicorn who stood there… stunned.


	5. Zap Apples

**Chapter 5: Zap Apple**

**(Sunday) (Morning) (Near Applejack's home)**

Damn it Rarity. Somehow this is all her fault.

Flash Sentry let out a tiresome yawn as he drove through the dirt road near the city's farmstead. This was the last time he was gonna let that girl blackmail him into doing favors. Who in the world wakes up this early on a Sunday to deliver band-gear to someone else's home? It was barely the crack of dawn and he hardly got a wink of sleep.

But the memories he got from last night was totally worth the fatigue. Seeing Sunset in that gorgeous stunningly stunning red dress gave him sweet dreams for weeks to come. She was so beautiful that he practically burned that image into his mind. He would've taken pictures too if he was given a chance. She would be the background of his computer, the fantasy of his dream, his princess to his kingdom.

And if it wasn't his ex-girlfriend then it was Twilight's sparkly eyes that lit his heart that night. The bespectacled girl had somehow stormed into the event on the very last minute. And while she looked like she was dressed for a date, her attire didn't exactly match with the event. Thankfully he was there to give her a tour of the place. Her wide-eyed smile was all he needed as payment. A kiss would've been acceptable too but that was probably stretching it. Still…

…

… totally worth it.

"Doh!" The boy was brought back to reality when his car stumped on a pothole causing him to fumble and the band gear behind him to spiral out of control. "Ah come on!" He groaned loudly to himself pushing one of the guitars that was sticking its neck on his hair. For crying out loud Rarity. Next time, he'll stick to buying his suits at another store.

This was totally not how he pictured spending his Sunday.

His irritation however came to a stop as Applejack's farm came into view. Rainbow Dash's directions were spot on in his GPS. At least now his car wouldn't have to take anymore… punish…ment?

Flash hit the brakes and grinding his vehicle to a full stop just right outside the cute home. But his eyes were locked to the big pile of coal next to it which was once a barn.

Hesitantly he left his car wondering if he somehow got the wrong address. This was supposed to be the sight of a party. He expected, tables, chairs and all manner of festive decorations put around. But instead he found it more barren than an Arid Mausoleum. Pieces of wood were scattered, animals left lying everywhere.

Did a storm hit here last night? It was pretty much clear skies. But this place looked like it was struck with all manner of disasters.

"Hello?" The boy called out only to be replied with chickens clucking at the pens. It looked gruesome to say the least. Like the setting for a haunted movie. "Is anyone here?" He approached the house and knocked on the weak door frame expecting someone to answer. But it all seemed abandoned at this point. Not a soul to be seen or heard unless you count the animals left unattended.

Something was wrong here and he didn't mean the burnt smell coming from the coal pile either.

"Oh for pete's sake!" A commotion of breaking wood and curses jolted the boy's attention. He quickly rushed to the side of the house noting a certain blonde cowgirl trying and failing to hold the fence up. "Stupid apple fudge oak."

"Applejack?"

The cowgirl jolted upward to the mention of her name. She snapped her head at him, hammer at the ready with all over her body as if she just came out a chimney.

"Flash?" She recalled his name. "Wh… what are you doing here?"

"Rarity sent me. She wanted me to set up the band instruments for your… uh… reunion?" He eyed the surroundings carefully, noting the indiscriminate destruction. "What happened here?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Applejack sighed with a tiresome sigh. She looked like she hadn't slept all night. And those red streaks on her cheek indicated that she had been crying… a lot. "Sorry. I got a lot of work in my hands right now."

"I can see that." Flash noted the burnt out barn whose only portion left standing seemed to be on its literal-last-leg. "I don't suppose you need help?"

"Nope. I got it covered."

"Really? Because you look like you don't." Her knees were weak and her hands were shaking. She looked like she could fall to the ground any second now. "You look exhausted."

"Ah that's a hoot. I never back out of a challenge. Besides… I'm already catching my second wind. This is just hmph – something to spice… hurrkk – things up! Ha! There! See?" She presented her newly flimsily rebuilt section of the fence which looked like it was being held by spit and willpower. "Good as new." And like a comic strip, the fence fell and broke apart. "Oh for the love of…!" She threw her hammer away in frustration nearly hitting the boy. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…"

He quickly waved it off, understanding that it was just an act of anger. "Don't mention it. Why don't you tell me what happened and we can figure things from there?"

Applejack opened her mouth to argue but quickly found out that her limbs were barely responding. If she continued now, she'd probably just drop dead right then and there. She couldn't even beat Flash in an arm-wrestling match if she wanted.

"I… guess a quick break wouldn't hurt."

xxxxxxxxxx

Applejack spent the next fifteen minutes explaining the events from last night to her visitor. She practically sprawled herself on the couch, fatigue finally kicking in. Strangely enough, the incident seemed oddly similar to that of Twilight's encounter with the shadow monster. Though this story seemed to have had a worse ending.

"And you're sure it's the same animal that attacked Twilight?" Flash inquired, offering the cowgirl a bottle of apple cider that somehow managed to survive the onslaught.

"Oh I'm sure. Trust me. It's the same one. With giant eyes, sharp teeth and everything. And almost as big as my barn too." She shuddered at the thought. "And I'd be its supper too if Big Mac didn't come along when he did."

"And is he…?"

"Oh he's fine. Sort of." She answered quickly enough dispelling all horrifying thoughts. "The doc said he won't be going anywhere for a while so Granny and Apple Bloom are staying with him until he gets better."

"And why are you here?"

"Someone needs to fix the barn for tonight. This place looks more broken than that cornfield outside and I'm partially responsible for what happened. Besides, the whole family will be coming this afternoon. Can't let them down either." She was still planning to host the party even after all this mess?

"But that's impossible! Look at yourself. You're a mess. You can't fix this whole place in just a few hours and definitely not by yourself."

"I gotta." She struggled to push herself off the couch but found her legs asleep. "It's been my dream to host the family reunion and I ain't gonna let them down." The girl gave out a huff and a puff but the wind she blew out drained her.

"Easy. Just lie down for a spell. You're won't be doing anything if you push yourself too much." He grabbed some tissues nearby wiping the sweat that accumulated on her brow. "You look pretty beaten up too."

"Eh… it's just a scratch."

She calls that a scratch? He didn't even want to know what a wound would look like in her point of view.

"Need to… get apple fritters. Flour… oil… wood for the fire. Three legged race. And the big family photo at the… barn." She recounted her chores, sighing and moaning. "It might take some extra leggin but apple grease always gets the job done." With some enthusiasm she forced her body to stand only to wobble in the process. Thankfully Flash was there to catch her and put her down.

"I don't think extra leggin will be enough, even for you Applejack. This isn't something you can just fix with your powers." Or any of their magic. Not unless you had a small army of magically enchanted ponies. "Maybe you should call it quits. I'm sure everyone would understand."

"And tell them what? That my place was sacked by a giant shadow monster and we had to set the barn on fire to drive it away?"

He puckered his lips and paused. "Ok maybe not everyone. But still! There's just no way you can fix this whole place up in your condition. I mean look at you! You can barely stand."

"I… have to." Again the cowgirl rose, but her eyes were getting heavy and her whole body ached. The adrenaline from last night had finally released its grip on her putting her mind in auto-pilot. "And I can. Just… watch me."

"Oh no you don't." Flash insisted this time, gently pushing the girl back on the couch. "You're taking a long break. Starting right now." With a quick motion the boy got to work grabbing pillows and blankets and putting Applejack in a comfortable position.

"I'll be fine." She whined back weakly. But the boy ignored her and quickly rush to the kitchen earning a confused look. "Wh… what are you doing?"

"Making you breakfast." He ruffled through the shelves, putting one of Granny's apron on. "We need to get your strength up and a balanced meal is the proper way to do it." The boy made a mental note to properly thank Ms. Cheerilee when he gets a chance. Who would've thought that all those extra home-ec classes would actually prove useful here?

Applejack didn't try to stop him. She was far too weak and far too exhausted to even try at this point. She opted to close her eyes for a bit, to take her mind off this whole mess. However the splattering sound coming from the kitchen only seemed to deter her. She tried to block it out, muffling her ears with the pillows and counting sheep. But the more clinking and clanging she heard, the more worried she became.

"What in mackerels' tarnation is going on back there?"

"Uh… nothing!" The boy reassured her. "It's just a special surprise. Nothing to be worried about." That sound of plates breaking wasn't reassuring.

About twenty minutes went by before Flash returned with a bowl in hand. His whole body reeked of sauce and spice and the burning smell from the kitchen didn't elate Applejack's irritation.

"Tada!" He revealed his result of his work presenting it to her like a culinary masterpiece.

Applejack looked down, not really sure if she was supposed to see something or just her wrinkly reflection on the plate.

"Soup?" She asked, eyeing her supposed savior like it was supposed to be some kind of punch line to a joke. "You made me soup?"

"Yup." He smiled warmly, pushing the plate forward. "What better way to restore your strength with a little bit of… corn soup?"

The cowgirl looked at it. "I don't see the corn."

"Oh it's there… somewhere." It wasn't supposed to be soup. It was supposed to be chowder. Corn chowder to be honest with a hint of carrot. Flash had put a number of ingredients in and even a couple of carrots but for some reason after he boiled it through they somehow… mysteriously disappeared. That was normal… right?

"I'm afraid to look at the kitchen."

"Shh… no need to worry about that." He chuckled awkwardly. "Just try it. At least get something in you. And please, do add any constructive criticism."

Applejack looked at the soup, noticing the bizarre smell and the odd color, and then to him. She repeated that action about four times, trying to find a reason, any reason, to decline. But her growling stomach answered for her instead.

With a sluggish motion she grabbed a spoonful, eyes squinting to the bubbling texture. Honestly, what was in this thing? The more she looked at it, the more repulsive it became.

But Granny always said that she shouldn't judge an apple by its color. So with a heavy gut she slurped.

…

And then her whole world exploded… in a torrent of vomit.

"Arghhh! Water water water water!" Desperate, she reached for the nearby flower vase and chugged the contents in, ignoring the flora Apple Bloom collected. It took a full minute for her to finally stop, breathing in just to remove the taste from her mouth.

"Was it… that bad?"

"Bad? BAD!?" She snapped. "That doesn't even begin to describe what sam-heck infernal realm that thing came from! That… was the worst tasting soup I have ever had in my life!"

"Oh come on. That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?" He regretted those words immediately when he tasted his own creation, face turning a shade of purple before swallowed a chunk of his vomit. "Oh god. I think I just lost the will to live…"

"What in the world did you do?"

"I… don't know what went wrong. Honest!" The boy held the bowl away, looking like he created a biological weapon. "I followed the recipe that Ms. Cheerilee gave us." Or at least he thought he did. "I even put in a lot of salt to add extra flavor."

"Tasted a little too sweet to be salty." Applejack groaned wiping her tongue. "You sure it wasn't sugar? We labeled the bottles."

"Of course I'm… sure…" He pulled out the vial that he believed contained salt but saw the word printed on the lid and paled. "Well… nobody's perfect… right?"

"Sure…" She grumbled to herself now looking even more stressed than before. "Listen. Why don't we make a deal? If you promise to stay out of the kitchen from here on out, I'll rest. Ok?"

Flash nodded not trusting his words at this point. He wished he could take her out of this place. While her home was probably the most comfortable place for the little apple, the thought of seeing that old burned out barn and the messy farmstead must be torturing her on the inside. She can't stay here. Not unless you wants to get better.

And through some miracle, his prayers were answered. "Applejack!"

Her friends poured from the door in a form of a messed up ball piling on one another.

"Fellas?" The cowgirl got up, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Apple Bloom called us and told us what happened." Twilight explained first.

"We came as quick as we could."

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Was it the same monster? Was it big? Was it cool!?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Is someone cooking?"

"Guy!" The tired girl snapped, silencing the girls. "One at a time please. I already got a big headache. I don't need another. And I'm fine. Mostly. It's my farm that took most of the beating. And yes… it was the monster. Or… at least I think it was."

They scanned their surroundings noting the burnt smell done from last night. They've never seen this kind of damage before. At least not on their personal property.

"But why did it attack here?" Sunset inquired. "Or… why you for that matter? I thought it'd only be in the city."

Applejack scoffed. "It didn't exactly stay long enough for me to ask. It wasn't exactly the talking type. And I was kind of distracted. You know? Running for my life?" Twilight shuddered back knowing well exactly how it felt. "I just wished it didn't leave such a mess behind."

"I'll say." Rainbow Dash cringed, looking at the grounds through the window. "Look at all that damage! I don't think we'll be able to fix that up any time soon. How are we gonna handle the party?"

"There ain't gonna be a party." The cowgirl sighed in defeat. "There's just too much work to handle. There's no way we can get it done in time even with magic. I stayed up all night trying to fix it but it's hopeless. I'm sorry fellas… but I'm gonna have to call the whole thing off."

"But darling. Hosting the reunion has always been your dream."

"It'll be my worst nightmare if my whole family comes by expecting to see a fair and instead they get to see… this." She gestured to all the mess, the burnt barn and the animals let loose on the field. There was just no way would people willingly come here to celebrate… well… anything. "They'll have more fun hanging out at the swamps than this place."

"Ooooh~~~~ that sounds like fun! Mud pile!" Pinkie screamed out of place. "We could hang in the bushes, playing with frogs and throw mud at each other! It'll be like kindergarten! Oh hey Flash. Woohoo!"

…!

"Flash?" Oh now they noticed him.

Sunset tilted her head confused. "What are you doing here?"

Doing you guys a favor carrying your stuff.

He rolled his eye in return. "No reason." Pinkie then poked her head in his direction, eyeing the bowl he had on hand.

"Ooooh! Were you making soup? I'll have some." And the death dish claimed a third victim. The bubblegum gal took one little sip and dropped dead on the floor, the color drained from her face for a split second before she shocked herself back up with the power of her innate sugar. "Wow! I thought I saw the light on the other side for a second there but it was actually just my hunger pangs kicking in." She breathed a sigh of relief. "That is definitely, absolutely THE worst soup I have ever tasted in my life. And believe me… I've had the cafeteria meatloaf."

"Thank you… Pinkie… for that colorful… insight."

"I'd sure hate to meet the person who made that. I mean… the damage you can do with that thing to someone's stomach. It'll be an epidemic of pandemic proportion!"

His eye twitched. "Thank you… Pinkie. I get it."

"Why don't we take you out for a trip to the mall, AJ?" Rainbow suggested. "Staying here is clearly making you miserable."

"Thanks Dash. But there's a lot of stuff I need to do first. Granny and Apple Bloom will be coming on back later and this place is still a mess."

"You're exhausted, Applejack." Sunset pointed out the obvious. "You're in no condition to do anything at this point. Besides, you're gonna need a whole team of professionals if you want to repair this place. Some time off is probably best."

A light bulb idea popped on Flash's head. "Actually. Why don't you girls take Applejack to the park? A bit of fresh air will do her some good. And I heard that the winter flowers are best this time before snow."

"That's… a wonderful idea!" Fluttershy agreed. "A change of scenery is always best for fatigue." The rest followed suit, nodding in rhythm. "Then it's settled."

"Fine." Applejack threw her hands up in defeat. There was no fighting this persistent group. It was six against one. May as well throw in the towel. "It's not like I'm gonna get anything done here with all you guys yapping about."

They gently lead the girl out of the house and hopefully get to the city, but not before Sunset noticed Flash lingering behind. "You coming?"

The boy smiled at her. "You go on ahead. I… have a mess to clean." Sunset gave him a raised brow and was about to press for more but her friends' calling beckoned her to drop it. Once she was gone, the boy quickly reach for his phone and dialed a number. "Edmund? It's me."

_"Master Flash?"_ The butler on the other line answered with a rather surprised yet steady tone. _"How may I be of service?"_

**(Celestia/Luna's apartment)**

Celestia let out a tiresome sigh as she slumped onto the couch after a nice warm bath. The weekend was a time to unwind and relax after a grueling week of paperwork in school. She didn't have to sign another document, have a serious talk with another student or hear any of her faculty's complain about this and that. No siree. It was just her, her jammies, the couch, this hot-steaming-sexy caffeinated drink in one hand and the remote for the TV in another. Yup, all was right in the world and that was how she liked it.

But her little paradise was interrupted when the phone line rang nearly making her spit her coffee. She eyed it bitterly and was quite thankful when Luna was there to answer it.

The Principal returned her attention back to the TV, ignoring the conversation behind her. Whatever it was, her sister would know how to handle it. For all she knows it was probably just another sales pitch or the board trying to make another appointment. All trivial stuff.

She switched the TV on and saw the local news channel come up. A fire incident on the outskirts of the city. Meh. Pedestrian sighting a large animal roaming the streets. Boring. It was all boring. And strangely enough she liked it that way.

Boring meant safe. Boring meant that there was no one getting hurt. Boring meant that there was no magic going around. And god knows that she had seen enough magic gone through her school already. Seriously, that mystical mumbo-jumbo has caused her and her students and faculties nothing but trouble. If she could remove that factor from the world, she won't shed a tear for it.

"Uh… sister?" Luna called out holding the phone, breaking the woman's train of thoughts. "The… Chairman wants to talk to you."

Oh come on now. Seriously? It was Sunday of all days. Can't she have one moment to relax?

Celestia held back a sigh and hesitantly answered. "Principal Celestia speaking." The man on the other line muttered to her softly, just enough for her to hear. "Yes Chairman. I heard. The new Superintendent sounds very promising. I'm sure Vice Principal Luna is more than capable of showing him around and…" There was a lull. "Me? Why me? Who…" She listened intently until the name dropped making her eyes go wild. "Oh…"

Celestia glanced a knowing glance at her sister who also seemed to be aware what was happening.

There was a long pause before she resumed the conversation. "Yes. Of course." She said finally, breathing a solemn breath. "I understand, Chairman. I'll meet him at Crystal Prep Academy tomorrow. Yes. Thank you. Goodbye." With a grunt she hung up, putting the phone on the seat next to her. The Principal's eyes cast downward, while memories spurned in her head.

"Are you alright, sister?"

Her short silence said much. "I am. Thanks for asking Luna." She sighed. "The Chairman has asked me to usher the new superintendent of Crystal Prep Academy. With Principal Cinch resigning after the Friendship Games, they need me to do the introductions. If all goes smoothly… he'll be the new Principal of the Academy by the end of the year."

"What about Cadance? I thought they made her the new Principal of Crystal Prep."

"Cadance was simply there to fill in the seat until a replacement could be found." Celestia explained. "It was never to be permanent even though we would've preferred it."

"And now '_He's'_ going to be there." Luna stretched the 'he' part questionably. "You know I can take your place. I can talk to the Chairman for you, if you want."

"No Luna. But I appreciate the offer." Celestia stood from her couch, reaching for a framed photograph that she placed by the window.

A younger version of herself and her sister stared back with brightly sparkling eyes filled with love and hope for the future. And standing with them were her fellow alumni, throwing their academic caps into the air. One might say that this was the happiest time of their lives. But she didn't look at any of them. Her eyes were focused solely on the dashing young man standing next to her younger self, holding her in his arm like she was the most precious treasure in the world.

"Besides. We can't escape our past forever."

**(The park)**

Sunset wasn't really sure how cheering up works here in the human world. If it was anything like in Equestria, it would usually involve cake and ice cream. A LOT of ice cream. And thankfully that part of her culture seemed to be similar here.

When they found themselves an empty table at the park, the gang quickly got to work in giving Applejack everything she needed to get through the day. By the time they got their seats, Applejack was flooded with every treat the park could offer.

Pinkie practically dotted on the poor cowgirl, giving her nonstop attention. Going as far as providing foot rubs.

"Guys. Seriously. You don't have to do this for me."

Twilight shook her head and shrugged. "We didn't. But we want to."

"And you're looking very famished. So eat up! I'd totally recommend you start from the top to bottom to keep the structural balance of the plate otherwise it'll fall on your and the sauce can get really REALLY sticky!"

"Thank you Pinkie." Applejack pushed her off her face resisting the urge to comment on personal space. "But I'm telling you guys. I'm good. I only got a few bruises. Nothing like Big Mac got."

"I still don't understand why that thing would attack you." Sunset stated. "Did you do something to make it angry?"

"Not that I can think of." The cowgirl shook her head solemnly. "We were just closing up when I saw that thing hiding in the cornfield. I took one peek… and the next thing I know I was fighting for my life."

Rainbow Dash frowned, hands on her chin. "Couldn't you have just whacked it? I mean, you got super strength. I've seen you carry a giant tree on one hand and eating cotton candy in another."

"And that's surprisingly not an exaggeration." Fluttershy agreed. Applejack was stupidly strong. Probably strong enough to take on a professional wrestler.

"I did! I tried to whack it. I even tried to hit it with a club. But…" Applejack shuddered, remembering the cold feeling when her attacks simply passed through the monster. "But nothing worked. Every time I tried to hit it, my fists just goes through it. It's like it was some kind of… ghost. Just like what Twilight said. It was a rigged fight from the start. It could touch me but I couldn't touch it."

Twilight understood that fear. Normally when they fought against monsters they could at least fight back with their unique powers. This thing on the other hand had the power of invincibility. It was like playing a game except that the cheat codes were now working for the other team.

"It's alright Applejack." The egghead held her arm, calming her down. "You're safe now. Why don't we discuss something else? Something that could actually help us solve this problem. Sunset, can you show us what you took in the museum?"

The redhead rebel nodded and brought out her phone showing the pictures she got last night. "We did some digging on the artifacts." She pointed to each object. "From the looks of it – the strange magical energy that we've been feeling are all coming from these items."

The gang huddled over to her phone squinting at the low resolution photo. It was hard to tell what they were if at all.

"Twilight and I looked into these things and found traces of magic."

"A broken knife, a bottle and a statue of a dancing man?" Rainbow Dash deduced from what she could see. "So these are the things that are bringing this monster to us?"

"Well… not entirely." Twilight spoke up. "I double checked and discovered that these objects had only traces of magic. They were more likely used for casting spells, but not the true source."

"We believe that the real source, comes from this." Sunset swiped the screen presenting them with a picture of a jeweled chalice that outshined everything they've seen so far. It was a cup made out of silver, with five different colored gemstones the size of quail eggs embedded on the outer layer. It was held up by a single stilt which reflected its magnificence for all to see.

"Oh my…" No surprise that Rarity would take a shine on it. "How beautiful. How needlessly gaudy, how excessively regal! It would make a fine addition to a collector for sure."

"It's called the Chalice of Wishes." Twilight graciously explained in her usual genius tone. "According to legend: And anyone who drinks from it will be granted one wish. But not just anything. The Yaztec shamans had to prepare a special kind of brew. It was very powerful and many sought it, which of course, ultimately led to their extinction thousands of years later. I know it sounds ridiculous."

That because it was ridiculous. When people hear something about wishes in this day and age they'd think about genies in magic lamps or magical fairies that can grant your every desire. Not… cups.

"A cup?" Pinkie said with a voice of disappointment. "Boo! Boring!"

"A Chalice!" Twilight insisted. "It might be a little unorthodox, but remember: This is an ancient civilization we're talking about. They don't have our reference to pop culture."

Applejack didn't seem all that convinced though. "I dunno Twilight. I have to go with Pinkie on this one. I find that statue more convincing than a fancy looking mug."

"I thought so too." Sunset agreed on that notion. "But that was until we saw these." She tap the screen, zooming onto the chalice once more revealing a face on the yellow gemstone. Which looked surprisingly like a wolf. "Does that remind you of anything?"

"It's that wolf thing!" The cowgirl gasped. "There's no doubt about it. I'd recognize that ugly mug like I saw it yesterday." Which she did.

"I thought as much." The egghead gave a confirming nod. "According to legend, that wolf is called Uta. The Ghost of the Shadows. It's one of the 5 guardian spirits that the Yaztec people created."

"Oooh…" Rainbow whistled intrigued. "So it's an evil spirit that goes around hunting people?"

"Actually it's not an evil spirit at all. It's a familiar. A summoned creature."

"Kind of like the wizards and witches in Ogres and Oubliettes. They summon these cute animals like pets who help on their research and experiments." Sunset froze when all eyes landed on her. "What? I play games too."

"In other words, the summoned is only an extension of the person who summoned it. Which begs the big question."

"Who was the one who called it – and – why did it go after Twilight and Applejack?"

That was a big question. One to which they didn't have the answer to. It was frightening to know that someone would actively try to harm them, physically.

Applejack gave it a thought and came to a troubling conclusion. "Now that I think about it, we have been making a lot of waves lately. After everything that's happened I wouldn't be surprised if we made a couple of enemies along the way."

"I bet my socks that it's those no good Dazzlings." Rainbow deduced with no real evidence to back it up. "They've been looking for a way to get back at us since our school's Musical Showcase. Especially that Adagio girl. I bet my other socks that she's the one behind it."

"Or the Shadowbolts from Crystal Prep." Fluttershy added sadly. "I hear that a few students there still has a grudge from the Friendship Games."

"Oh oh oh! Or maybe it was Flim and Flam or or or or… Gloriosa! She could've gone back to her evil plant magic thing while our backs were turned!" Pinkie… just… no.

The names went on for the girls. With all the adventures they've been going through and all the evil plans they've foiled, it wouldn't be a surprise that some folks would hold a grudge against them. Even the Dazzlers sound like a solid lead. But the list of suspect was long. Too long to make any quick guesses.

But in Sunset's mind, there was one she wanted to point out. Someone only she saw.

"Got something to say there, Sugar Cube?"

Sunset darted up when she noticed her friends staring at her. "Huh? No. I was just… thinking about our… usual suspects."

"Really? Because you have that look in your face right now."

"Look?" The girl blinked, tilting her head confusingly. "What look?"

"That look you have when you got something to say but can't really say it." Rainbow Dash explained, pointing at her cheeks. "You normally have one hand on your chin, your brows down about 30 degrees and you have this frown on your face." She paused, smiling. "Yeah… that look. You have it just like… all the time. Especially when we have these magical adventures."

Did she now? She never really noticed that she had a habit of putting on a look. Huh. The more you know…

Twilight nodded in agreement. "You know something Sunset?"

"Ah… well. It's… stupid. I'm probably just bias."

"Might as well spill it." Applejack insisted. "It can't be any worse than Pinkie Pie's theories."

"OH! Broccoli! The villain of vegetables!"

Sunset gave up a sigh. There was little good to hide her own suspicions. "Well… I might be wrong and this might sound kind of bias, but I think this guy might be the culprit." She tapped her phone again putting on another picture of a tall dark haired man.

"Professor Sombra?" Twilight recognized him instantly while she failed to notice Pinkie spitting out her drink. He was the man of the hour during the fundraiser event yesterday. "The investor?" The girls gave them a questioning look. "He's the one who discovered the artifact and donated it to the museum. From what I can tell he's pretty well off. Even more so than Filthy Rich."

"Is he now~~?" Rarity's eyes twinkled like stars for a second there while her humming sweetened.

"Don't even think about it." Sunset warned.

"I have no idea what you're talking about darling. I'm simply admiring his… unique outfit. That's all." Their squinted eyes made it clear that no one believed that line for a second. Rarity was anything but subtle when something or someone caught her eye. If it shines like a diamond, you can bet your breeches that she wants it in her pocket. "Though I must admit that he is quite easy on the eyes."

The gang stuck their tongues out in disgust.

"Rarity! He's like… way too old for you!"

"At tut tut. Age is but a number, Rainbow."

"He's also Flash's dad." Sunset pointed out.

"He is?"

"Oh!? R… really!?" Pinkie chuckled in a strangely robotic manner. "I did not… know that. That is entirely brand new information. Ha… ha… haha."

"Why is he a suspect?" Twilight inquired curiously. "Do you know something about him?"

Sunset groaned. It was a difficult thing to explain. That tends to happen when you see two worlds at once. "Well… not exactly. You all know that I come from another world, right?" They nodded and shrugged like it was just another fact of their daily lives. "And you know that pretty much almost everyone here has a counterpart there. Like Princess Twilight and our Twilight."

"Who isn't a Princess." Rainbow teased though it failed to get a proper reaction from the egghead.

"Well in my world… there was also someone named Sombra. And he wasn't exactly the nicest guy in Equestria."

"So a villain?" The multicolored girl gave an interest.

"The worst kind. In my world he's known as King Sombra. A powerful and tyrannical unicorn who once took over the Crystal Empire. He enslaved his own people and forced them to wage a drawn out war across all of Equestria. And he would've conquered everything if Princess Celestia and Princess Luna didn't banish him."

"That… does sound like someone I don't want to meet." Fluttershy shuddered.

"But this is a different Sombra." Twilight reminded. "Not everyone shares a one dimensional outlook. I mean look at me. I'm just a high school student on this side of the mirror but my counterpart over there is a Princess. And Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna are our teachers, not royals."

"And that's exactly why I didn't want to bring him up." Sunset explained to them, sighing. "Like I said: My opinion is kind of bias." And knowing a tyrannical dictator on the other side didn't exactly improve his image here.

"Ok so what's the plan?" Applejack asked at last sounding even more exhausted. "We can't exactly go through everyone we've met and see if they know anything about this stuff."

Thankfully they didn't have to as their resident Einstein already had a plan. "Actually, I think we can narrow it down. Seeing as this is a magical mystery on its own, why don't we look into those who have ties with Equestrian Magic? Our most notable suspects, as Rainbow suggested, are the Dazzlings. Rainbow Dash, you will handle them."

"Yes!"

"Take Fluttershy and Applejack with you. Just in case. The Dazzlings might've lost their powers but you can never be too careful. The rest of us will investigate the area I found the monster and see what we can find. If there are clues, we'll find it."

"Ah… ahem. Pardon." Rarity raised her hand up like a kid beckoning a question to her teacher in class. "But Applejack and I would like to be exempted from this scavenger hunt."

The cowgirl bobbed her head in her direction. "We do?"

"Yes. Apparently I've scheduled a spa session in the city and would very much like to take her for a moment to de-stress. I'm more than certain she could use it."

"Now hold on a minute. I didn't agree to no…"

"I think that's a great idea." Sunset agreed much to Applejack's confusion. "No offense Applejack but Rarity is right. You're exhausted. You look like you could drop any second."

"I'm telling you, I'm fine!" How many times has she said that now? It's hard to keep count. "Besides, if you guys are going out looking for that monster, I want in. I owe it a smack down for what it did to my farm." She tried to flex her arms and tried to act tough but they ultimately failed. She would've fallen off the bench if Fluttershy didn't held her back.

"You can barely stand, darling. And you're practically filthy. You're in no shape to be fighting or doing anything for that matter."

"She's right." Even Rainbow Dash saw the logic – or at least they hope she did. "We're not looking for that wolf monster right now. So it'd be better if you just rest up and get charged. And even if we did meet it, I'll be sure to clobber it for ya!"

Everyone else chimed in agreement and again Applejack found herself outnumbered. With another defeated sigh, she agreed.

"Alright alright! I get it. I heard ya the first time. No need to speak up like some broken recorder."

Rarity giddied and quickly dragged the tiresome girl out of the park. "Wonderful darling. Oh! We are going to have so much fun, you and I. We'll have a makeover, a manicure/pedicure session and a good old massage to get that negative energy out of you." She held a squeal. "So exciting!"

Sunset couldn't help but smile as she watched those two grab a taxi leaving the rest of them to do the heavy lifting. But knowing what AJ went through, they believed she deserved it.

"So… the Dazzlings." Rainbow Dash pumped her fist together, readying herself for whatever that may come. "Where can I find these creeps and give them a piece of my mind?"

"You won't have to look far." Twilight answered with a reply ready. "They actually have a part-time job working over at a store a few blocks from here. It's an internet café called… the Sleepy Sirens."

…

…

Ha!


	6. The Magic on This World

**Chapter 6: Magic on This World**

**(Canterlot Day-Spa) (Afternoon)**

Applejack felt the tension on her shoulder melt as she sat on the sofa, her hair wrapped in a warm towel while a masseuse attended her feet putting pressure in places that just sent electricity running through her body. She wasn't the kind of girl who'd go for this kind of treatment. Applejack always thought that hard work and labor were its own reward. But considering the things she just went through she didn't think anyone would think any less of her. Heck, if her body could melt then and there, she probably wouldn't even care.

"Ahhh~~ Now this is the life." A moan of pleasure escaped Rarity's lips, two slices of cucumber placed upon her eyes combined with a thick layer of moisturizer. Two professionals catered to her hands and feet giving her the stature of a spoiled princess. "What better way to spend the afternoon than being pampered from head to toe by true masters?"

There were a lot of things Applejack could say there but she decided to keep them to herself.

"This sure is great Rarity. But you sure we should've left the others off on their own? I feel bad for not helping."

"At tut tut." One of the spa employees waggled her finger in Rarity's stead. "Applejack sweedom. Your desire to help is most welcoming but there are times when you need to simply sit back and enjoy the view."

"Not much of a view with these pickles on my face."

"Cucumber actually." She corrected pleasingly. "And I was being metaphorical. You work far too much and have absolutely no time for yourself. How could you possibly enjoy this world if you don't stop by and smell the roses?"

Applejack shrugged. "I've always been a hard worker. You have to be when you're running a farm as big as the one we have. Besides, it's a lot more fun when you've got friends and family with you. Don't you feel the same?"

"Yes dear. I enjoy making clothes just as much as you enjoy raising your farm animals. Work is part of life. But that's still no excuse for overtaxing your body. Why even the mere thought alone is enough to get me wrinkles."

"Rarity… you think everything gives you wrinkles."

"And they do." She insisted. "Which is why we are here – to continue the good fight against time and nature! To hold back the tide of pimples and hair loss. Which reminds me. I'm feeling a rather terrible itch. Aloe! Better make it a triple for today." Applejack wanted to laugh as the attendee complied to Rarity's wishes, applying more moisturizer on her face. Who knew that coming to a day-spa like this would be considered a crusade against mother-nature herself? "But enough about all this work talk and wrinkles. We're here to relax. Why don't we speak of more pleasant topics?"

The cowgirl raised an imaginary cup over her hand. "I guess a little pampering won't hurt."

The fashionista's face beamed at the thought. "Speaking of pampering, you looked pretty comfy having Flash Sentry hover over you like that."

She groaned miserably in reply. "If you can call it that. He wasn't exactly that helpful."

"Oh darling. Come now. The boy looked worried. I thought it was very sweet that he was willing to look after you. Having a man like him attend to your every need is a pleasure all on its own." Oh yeah sure – until he goes into the kitchen and whips you up a meal that'll literally kill you.

"Just make sure he doesn't go into the kitchen." Applejack remarked. Though she would admit that it was nice to have someone watch over her. If that boy didn't come when he did, she probably would still be working on that barn fixing up something that can't be done. Heck she'd probably collapse from exhaustion alone in the middle of the field. If Flash found her like that, he'd have a stroke. Heck she can already picture him carrying her up like a bride and whisking her off to the nearest hospital.

"Oooh? Now there's a reaction I'd never thought I'd see." Rarity took one cucumber off her eye just in time to see her friend deep in thought. And whatever it was clearly got the cowgirl's cheeks to warm up.

"It's… it's nothing." She stuttered. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh don't be such a sauerkraut." The fashionista cooed. "Attention-to-details is something of a specialty of mine. Come now. Did something happen? Tell me everything." Figured she'd be thirsty for gossip.

"Nothing happened." Applejack insisted.

"Aww… boo. What a bore. I was hoping for something… spicy."

She gave the fashion-maniac a glare. "You do know that he and Sunset used to date, right?"

"Your point?" Was she serious right now? "Pfft. I'm joking darling. I know exactly what you mean. It's just that I've never seen you with that kind of expression before. It's actually kind of refreshing. To think that the strong and independent Applejack would have such an adorable side hiding under all that calluses."

**(The Sleepy Siren)**

Rainbow Dash stood at the front of the store with Fluttershy and Pinkpie Pie on her flanks. The Sleepy Siren, whose name is just too much of a coincidence, was a run of the mill internet café. While it served patrons with access to the internet, they also served a good selection of pastries on the side. The air here was thick with coffee. You can practically smell it from a mile away.

Through the glassed door they could see Adagio, the leader of the group, standing by the counter with an irritated expression on her face. While her powers may have been sealed away that didn't exactly make her any less dangerous.

With a brave face, she pushed door and entered.

"Welcome to Sleepy Sirens. What can I get…" Adagio recited her welcome line in a tone that was pretty much as bored as she was. She stopped though when she realized who it was. "Oh… it's you. What do you want?"

"Cut the act, Adagio." Rainbow Dash threw out an accusing finger at her. "Spill the beans! We know you're behind it all!"

"Did someone say beans?" Sonata, the cheerful sounding Siren asked, holding said coffee beans. She waved at her former enemies, not a trace of malice on her face. "Oh! Hi guys. You here for our famous latte? We're having a special discount just for today!"

"Oh oh oh! I'll have one!" Pinkie requested matching Sonata's wavelength almost instantly.

Adagio rolled her eyes and slowly slapped Rainbow finger away. "What. Are. You. Idiots. Talking. About?"

"Drop the cookie act sister! Stop pretending like you don't have anything to do with the wolf that's been stalking us."

"We got cookies too!"

"I'll take five!"

The leader of the Sirens scoffed and brushed the side of her puffy hair. "I have no idea what you're going on about. Do we look like the kind of people who'd keep pets?"

"No. But you look like the kind of people who can use magic to summon monsters that attack our friends!" Rainbow added accusingly. "Admit it! You're the ones behind it all!"

Again Adagio groaned. "Ok. You are going to start making sense in the next three shakes or I am calling for security."

"Oh! We also got fruit shakes! Apple or coconut? They're really good~~."

"Sonata!" The orangette snapped. "Not… now."

"Ah… right. Sorry." The cheery Siren smiled softly towards Pinkie. "That'll be 4.99. Please and thank you."

Ignoring the two airheads, Adagio poked back at Rainbow. "If this is some kind of prank, you guys are terrible at it. Whatever it is you think we did, we didn't do it."

"Oh really?" Dash challenged. "So you're saying that you don't have anything to do with the strange magic that's been going around the city lately?"

Well so much for subtlety.

"Of course n… wait… did you say magic?" Adagio looked to her companions who quickly gave out the similar knowing expression. "Are you talking about that weird fuzzy magic that's been hanging around that weird museum?"

"AHA! I knew it! You are responsible!"

Thankfully Fluttershy pulled her friend back before she could continue with her accusations. "You know about it?"

"Of course we know. We might've lost our forms but we are still creatures of magic." The Siren boss lady stated in her annoyed attitude. "Sensing strange energy like that is child's play. But if you think we're responsible – then think again. We have standards."

"And we're just supposed to take your word for it?"

"Do I look like I care about what you think?"

Fluttershy hastily interjected pushing the two away. "I'm sorry for Rainbow Dash. It's just that two of our friends have already been attacked recently and we're looking for any clues that could lead us to the culprit."

"Well…" Adagio rubbed her chin looking somewhat half between interested and annoyed. "That does make us the likely suspects. I could totally see myself doing something that would make you all… disappear. But sadly… no. We're not the ones you're looking for."

"Besides. After what you did to us during our musical performance, we barely have enough magic to sustain ourselves." Aria added appearing out from the backroom. "Spending that kind of energy to simply hurt you girls is just a waste."

"Totally. We had to resort to working in this wretched place just to keep us fed."

Here? In this dusty store at the edge of the city?

Fluttershy looked around and tilted her head sideways. "The internet café?"

"You think we'd work here for the money? Oh please." Adagio scoffed at them waggling three fingers and rolling each down with each remark. "The work hours here are atrocious, the pay is lame and the customers are complete jerks. If it wasn't for necessity's sake I'd sooner burn this place to the ground." Yeesh… talk about extreme measures. "But you'd be surprised how much negative energy comes from this place. Some hothead online players, a blogger posting a mean comment yet being anonymous. You know… the usual?"

That does make sense. The internet has been a boiling pot for all manner of perversions. Where else would you get such a powerful yet natural dose of negative energy in this world?

"So you're not responsible for the strange magic?"

"Sweetie. Please. We're Sirens. We have standards." She poked over the Fluttershy's face. "Now unless you want to make a purchase, I suggest you move along. I have customers to attend." Adagio gestured to the back where a line of patrons were piling in.

"Just one more question, if you'd be so kindly." The animal lover spoke. "Would you know anyone who might've used that kind of magic?"

"No." The answer was straight, plain and simple. "But if it'll help get you off my counter, I can give you one bit of information." Oh! That was progress. "That magic source that's coming from the museum has been getting weaker."

"Weaker? What do you mean?"

"Think of magical energy as fire. You can convert the magic to become spells or objects if you know the recipe. I know someone used that magic source at least four times."

"Four?"

"It means someone used it. Now the source itself has become weaker and weaker. Soon there won't be any magic left. I'd give it a week or two before it burns out. Now shoo. I got paying customers to deal with."

Rainbow and Fluttershy looked to one another and agreed to part off, Pinkie falling not far behind with another pack of treats in her arms.

"Bye! Come again soon!"

**(Parking lot)**

"Two weeks?" Sunset looked startled at the revelation of this new information. "Are you sure?"

_"That's what Adagio said."_ Fluttershy said on the other line. She could hear Rainbow Dash saying something about not trusting their word it but she ignored that. _"I don't think she was lying to us. And I don't believe that the Dazzlings are responsible for this either. Sorry. But I believe that this might be a dead end."_

"No, that's fine." Sunset waved it off even though she knew that she couldn't see her. "You got us more information. I count that as a win in my book."

"How are things there? Did you find anything?"

"Just rocks and rubble. Nothing else to go on. No magic trace or anything." She paused. "But the good news is that we did find her phone."

"And in good condition!"

Sunset chuckled softly at her. "Anyway, this place seems like a bust. We'll give it another look but I don't think we'll find anything else here. Let's meet up at the diner downtown in about an hour? We'll go over everything we know together." Both sides hung up leaving Sunset to look over Twilight as she searched the parking lot. There was hardly anything there – or anyone for that matter. "Got anything?"

"No." Came her sad and disappointing answer. "I really thought we'd get at least something, but my tracker isn't picking anything other than the source from the museum. It's like that monster didn't leave any trace behind."

"Well you did say it was a ghost. And ghosts don't exactly leave a lot. Unless you know a thing or two about ectoplasm."

Twilight gave her a scowling look. "That's ridiculous. Ghosts are simply fictional beings. They don't really exists. And I called the monster ethereal. A totally different concept."

Sunset gave out a coy smile which somehow irritated her. "Sure. I believe that. And… speaking of the museum, I still can't believe you blew Timber off yesterday. That was really not cool to break a promise."

"I thought we were through this!" Twilight groaned, having one hand on her face. "I needed to see the artifact for myself. Get a first-hand experience. Besides, it all worked out in the end."

"More like you were lucky that Flash was there. Otherwise security would've just thrown you to the curb. You can't just show up like that on the very last minute."

"It was a magical emergency!"

"You blew off a whole date."

"Half! HALF a date." That didn't exactly make it sound better. "Besides, I promised that I'd make it up to him later. This situation we're dealing right now is big."

"Big enough to blow off your boyfriend to hang around with another boy?"

"Hey no fair! Flash was just around when I needed help. And to answer that question: Yes. It is." Sunset recoiled from that answer. She certainly wasn't expecting her friend to simply agree. "Don't you think that this situation is important? I mean look what happened to Applejack. She and Big Mac got hurt because of this thing."

"Yeah, but how is that our fault?"

"Because we're the only ones who have the ability to fight this creature." She reasoned angrily, eyes fuming. "You know that this world isn't exactly ruled by magic like in your Equestria. No one else has any kind of defense against that kind of power. What if this monster starts to go on a rampage? Innocent people could be in danger because we didn't stop it."

"I know. But remember, we can't be responsible for every magical disaster. At least… not you guys. We're still kids."

"Kids with powerful magic that we hardly know anything about!" Twilight covered her mouth when she realized her voice snapped. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell. It's just that… you once said that we were all given these powers for a reason. I'd like to believe we were given them to protect and help people. And seeing these magical nature hurting folks… I can't help but feel like I haven't done my best." She glanced over to the crowd in the distance holding a wistful look. "No one here knows what we go through with our lives. All the power, the burden we have to hold back. It feels… heavy sometimes."

"Twilight." Sunset skipped over to the girl, holding her shoulder. "Since when did you start thinking like this?"

"Ever since our Spring Break." She answered. "After you and Princess Twilight decided to lock the portal with your magic key, that whole event with the Storm King got me thinking that… those people in the cruise could've gotten seriously hurt."

"But they didn't. We saved them."

"Exactly. We saved them because of our powers." Twilight countered. "Do you think any of them would've been able to handle the Storm King or carry a thousand pounds worth of equipment with their minds? Of course not. And… that's exactly what scares me." She shuddered at the thought. "If we couldn't save them or protect them… then it would've been our fault. Because we didn't try hard enough."

Wow… talk about heavy. Even Sunset was beginning to feel the weight of her burdens. But there was some truth in there. Even she knew that the humans of this world had little to no defense against magic. It's why the Sirens were able to influence them so easily or how she nearly turned an entire student body into a personal army of mindless zombies. There was simply nothing here that can counter that. If magic was allowed to run rampant like it did during their cruise… no one would be safe. It would continue to evolve, changing the world in ways they could never imagine. The damage that could happen would be… irreparable.

"I guess you're right there." Sunset agreed after a short pause. "But you should've told me about this earlier. I would've helped you look for an answer. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know. It's just that… I don't want to fail. Not with this. Not when those that I care about can get hurt."

"Hey. We'll figure it out." The redhead carried her out of the parking lot and back into the light. "Whatever happens, we'll see it through. Together."

"I… well…" Twilight slumped. "Yeah. I guess we will."

"That's the spirit! Now come on. It's passed noon. And I figure neither of us wants to be caught here out in the dark."

On that, they both can agree on.

**(Diner)**

Ding!

"Order up!"

The smell of burgers and fries was heavy in the air that evening as Sunset and her friends gathered around the table. The information they've gathered was sparse at best but it was a step in the right direction. It would certainly be a lot easier if they had an obvious suspect to go with.

"So here's what we know so far." Sunset recapped, using a pen and pad to jot down their intel. "We all know that this strange magic is coming from these objects in the museum. We also know someone has used them four times. Considering that there are four artifacts in total, it can't be a coincidence."

"I don't know." Rainbow Dash protested. "I still think that the Dazzlings have something to do with all this. I'm gonna keep one eye open for those three. Just in case."

"We also have a raging shadow wolf monster hunting us and no clue who's summoning it and why."

"Don't forget that the whole magic thingie is burning out faster than a birthday cake on a raging birthday party!" Pinkie added stuffing her mouth full of treats.

"Yeah. That too. And right now we got a whole mess of questions and not a lot of answers to go by."

"Can't we just let it be?" Rarity suggested, her whole body gleaming with a soft glow from all the pampering. "If this magic is slowly weakening then surely the problem will resolve itself if we just leave it alone."

"We can't guarantee what Adagio said is correct." The redhead explained. Though as much as she would like to believe so, she can't exactly trust the word of another former villain on a whim. "Even if she was right, there's no telling what could happen in the next two weeks. We can't allow this monster to run rampant. Not when we know we can still stop it. We just need to think this through."

"I don't suppose we could just call Twilight – uh… Princess Twilight I mean." Applejack put her two bits in. "She's really our only foreign expert on this whole magic thing. No offense Twily." The other Twilight brushed it off. "I'm just saying we might need a real professional to deal with this kind of problem."

Sunset agreed on that idea. If anyone could solve a magical problem, it'd be her friend on the other side. "I've been writing to Twilight about this whole thing. But from the looks of it, there are some problems happening in Equestria too. It doesn't look like she'll be able to help us any time soon. And I really don't want to use the portal or I'd be risking more magic to leak to this side. We all agreed to put that lock and use it only when absolutely necessary."

Fluttershy sighed. "I guess being a Princess in the other world comes with a lot of responsibility. We can't always call on her when things look bad here."

"Exactly." Sunset nodded. "Princess Twilight already has enough on her plate with just one world. Besides, this thing seems to be magic from this world. We've fought worse things before. I think we can handle one little wolf."

"I'm game." Rainbow Dash raised her fists up in approval. "So how do we fight it? Do we Pony-up and blast it with our rainbow beams? Or do we play a jam and blast it with our music?"

"First we'll need to find it." Twilight spoke up. "I'll use my tracking device back home and do a full sweep of the city. If the shadow creature shows itself, I'll let you guys know.

"And then we Pony-up?"

They rolled their eyes at the bloodthirsty member of the group. "Yes Rainbow Dash. We'll 'Pony-up'. But that means we have to be together when the time comes. I don't suppose you guys will mind a sleepover at my place?" Her friends shouted with approval. They'd never turn away a sleepover. Not to mention they'd all feel a lot safer being together knowing that there was a wolf chasing after them.

"I'll be sure to bring some extra lotion. Can't be too careful these days."

"Woohoo! Sleepover!" Pinkie cheered. "We'll make it a party. And then we can take our mind off Applejack's disaster family reunion."

…

…

…

Wait… the reunion?

All eyes turned to the girl in question whose face froze up like ice.

"Oh no…"

**(Applejack's residence)**

_"Oh I am so stupid! How in the world did I forget!?"_

Applejack was pretty much desperately screaming in her head as the taxi pulled over to the last stoplight to her farm. Her full attention was directed at her phone noticing the many missed-calls from various family members across the board. She forgot that she put it on silent when she was at the spa and never bothered to turn it back on. No doubt they were wondering why there was no one there to greet them or why the farm looked like it was hit by a storm and an earthquake all at once. She tried to dial them back but every cousins, aunts, uncles or family twice removed wouldn't answer. Most of them were going straight to voicemail which prompted her to consider the worst case scenario. She bit her nails, trying another number and getting no response.

"Oh this is bad. REALLY bad! No one's answering! Not Uncle Orange, Apple Dumpling or even Apple Cobbler! I'm doomed!"

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?" Twilight tried to laugh it off only to earn herself a strangling grip from Applejack.

"Don't you get it!? This is the family reunion! The biggest gathering of the whole family! Only one of us gets to host a reunion once a year and this was my time to shine! I promised them games, music, singing and a barn full of our family's special cider! If they find out that I got none of those and the house looks like a whole lotta mess, they'll never let me host another one ever again… EVER!"

"Breathe Applejack. Breathe!" Sunset tried to sooth her but it looked like she was getting a panic attack. "Calm down now."

"Don't tell to CALM DOWN!" She was starting to look like Princess Twilight when she's panicking. When her phone rang, her hand teleported to it. "AHA! Apple Bloom! Sugar Cube! Where are ya!?"

_"Applejack? We're at home. Where are you? The whole family's been looking for ya."_

"The whole family!?"

_"Yup. Uncle Bushel just arrived with Uncle Cobbler. We're at the barn right now."_ The barn!? No! That's the worst place to be in right now! _"You'd better hurry back. Things are getting really crazy over here and we could really use your help."_

"I know. I know! I messed up!" Applejack groaned. "I should've called them when I had the chance. How bad is it? Is it bad? Are they all mad?"

_"Mad?"_ The girl on the other line sounded unsure. There were noises in the background. Some yells and barks but nothing she could make out. _"Well… they're a little agitated with Granny but… uh… HEY! Apple Dazzle, Jonagold, you put that down! Ow! Hey! Stop that! I'm not gonna tell on you if you don't stop! Ow! G… give that back! Stop!"_

The line suddenly went dead leaving Applejack holding a terrified expression.

"She sounded… well?" Pinkie tried to chip in but that only made it worse.

"I knew it! It's over!" The cowgirl exploded in terror. "The family is on a rampage and now they're taking it on Granny and Apple Bloom!"

"Now that's an exaggeration." Sunset added, quickly breathing a sigh of relief when the stoplight turned green. "I'm sure it's nothing serious."

"Nothing serious!? DID YOU NOT HEAR that call, woman!? They're clearly being hung to dry! We're doomed! It's serious family capital punishment! It's over! Say goodbye to yours truly!"

"Will you calm down!?" Rainbow Dash barked from the passenger seat, a cookie in hand. "Your doom and gloom is making me nervous and I can eat when I'm nervous!"

Sunset wanted to try to ease her friend but was quickly stopped when she saw the farm coming into view. "We're coming up on the house now."

"I can't watch!" Applejack shrunk into the seat, her heart thumping heavily on her ribs. She closed her eyes shut hoping that this would all be over soon. She expected her friends to sigh and groan, awkwardly waving to see her entire family giving out disappointed and upsetting gazes upon them. But strangely enough there was nothing. The gang had suddenly gone quiet like their voices were stolen – or were they mesmerized by something? "How bad is it? Are they mad? They do look upset?"

"Uh… Applejack."

"No wait! Don't tell me! I don't wanna know! Just hide me!"

"Applejack." Twilight poked at her, her face locked to the window. "You… might want to see this."

Applejack didn't feel like raising her head. She was far too afraid to face the judging look of her family. But oddly enough she took a quick peek. Bracing herself for what was to come. And when she did… her mind died out.

An ocean of light greeted the girls in a bright and warm embrace. A large crowd had gathered there, no doubt the majority of the Apple Family itself. They huddled in groups eating and cheering while smiles and laughter passed around like a currency to be spent. A big open area was made as a temporary dance floor. Wide swaths of tables and chairs lined the area with bottles of empty cider stacked up on one corner, and a giant buffet table right in the middle for all to pinch from.

The gang slowly got out of the taxi with Applejack being the last. An array of colors welcomed the girls in the form of banners and decorations. Sunset paid the driver, not even remotely interested in the change. All their eyes were locked at the sight, some of them wondering if they were dreaming.

"Ow! Pinkie!" Twilight was shocked out of her gawking face.

The bubblegum gal snickered. "Sorry. You looked like you needed a pinch. But yeah! Woohoo! PARTY!"

"Applejack!" It was Apple Bloom's voice that broke her big sister's trance. "There you are! Where'd ya been?"

"Apple Bloom?" The girl replied still in shock. "How… did you…? The field is… and the barn is all…" She pointed at the large tall red building at the side of her house which she was sure was burned down last night.

"I have no idea. The party was in full swing when Granny and I got back from the hospital."

"But I thought you… and Granny were… in trouble?"

"Trouble? Us?" The little apple raised a brow. "Why would we be in trouble? Granny's over there playing cards with Goldie and her cousins. But the bigger question is… how in the world did you get all this done!?"

_Me? Did I do this?_ Applejack wasn't sure anymore. Actually… she wasn't even sure if this whole thing wasn't just a figment of her imagination. An illusion created by her fear and anxiety.

"I did?"

"Yeah! How'd you get the barn fixed so fast? How'd you set up the whole place? Granny and I thought you'd up and call off the reunion." She was.

At least… that was the idea at first.

"Hey! There's our star of the hour!" A bombastic voice boomed from a middle-aged couple who quickly came by and grabbed Applejack in a loving hug.

"Applejack, sweedom! There you are!"

"Where've ya been?"

"Great party! Probably the best one yet!"

"Almost thought we'd have to run this place without ya." The poor girl was bombarded with praises and compliments, so much so that it left her stunned and confused. She had a list of question on her and not enough time for answers. "And that boy you brought in was a real game changer!"

What boy?

"Guys!" A familiar voice chimed from the back of the crowd wading through masses of the Apple Family. The boy looked practically haggard, like he just came through a tornado.

"Flash?" Sunset gave him a puzzled stare.

"Oh thank god you're all here. I was beginning to think you wouldn't make it." The lightning boy smiled. "I would've called you earlier but your family is really energetic after we fixed the barn."

"You?" Applejack stuttered in disbelief directing that question back. "You did all this? But… how?"

He shrugged with a nod that was brimming with humility. "I called up a friend who… called a friend who called a contractor. It took some effort but we managed to get the whole replace renovated. You like it?"

"I love it!" Pinkie blew out a party whistle, quickly descending upon the giant cake at the buffet table. Some of the children joined in as well, laughing and chuckling like nothing mattered in the world. "Double frosting! My favorite!"

"This is awesome!" Rainbow squealed, her face practically beaming from ear to ear. "We can still have a proper party! Hey. What about our instruments?"

"In the barn. They're all set." Flash answered gesturing to the stage that he set up for the band. "You think you can play a tune?"

"Ha! Watch us! Come on guys!" The speedster was at the stage already shouting on the mic. Fluttershy chuckled at her childish notion and slowly joined her.

"I… wh… I don't…" Applejack on the other hand still seemed to be in shock.

"Is… she ok?"

"Just give her a moment. It'll pass." Sunset reassured them. "Come on. I'll go and rock bass in her place." With a wave she and the other members of the Rainbooms got up on stage, readying their instruments. They shot each other a knowing look and played a tune with Rainbow Dash in the lead. The song alone attracted the whole family to the dance floor shaking the very earth itself.

"I… I don't get it." Applejack said finally, her mind sane enough to form proper sentences and questions. "How? How did you do it? The barn was burned."

Flash again waved it off. "Oh it was nothing. The construction team were real pros. They got it fixed in just a few hours."

"But the field…"

"Covered them up and flattened the dirt in."

"The animals?"

"Hired the ranchers next door. They were good at it too."

"The tables? The decorations? The food?"

"Rented them, and there was a store throwing out some old holiday decorations so we put those instead. As for the food, I hired a caterer from the city. Bought a whole mess of apple-cider too. Not bad eh?"

How can you say that so easily? Applejack calculated the cost in her head and she was convinced that there was just no way could she count that high.

"But… why?" She asked like it was the strangest puzzled in the world. "Why would you…?"

"Why not?" He shrugged back, answering her question with a question. "You're always so hard working Applejack. I figured you could use a break. And… it sounded to me like this whole reunion meant a lot to you. It might not be as good as what you planned but I figured I can do something just as fun." There he goes again with that smile. That goofy smile that won over Princess Twilight. "Besides, it's the least I could do to help you girls with your magical adventures."

"I…" Applejack looked at him, unable to find the words. She wanted to laugh, cry and punch something really hard all at once. She wanted to do something to show her appreciation, to tell him how grateful she was. But nothing came. All she could do was stand there, stare at his face, her cheeks flushed as her heart beats to the rhythm of the song playing in the background. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He nodded back and cringed when he noted some of the apple family calling out to him. "Uh speaking of which. You mind dancing with me right now? I really need a good excuse not to join your extended-family over there. No offense to them, but I'm pretty sure they're secretly trying to kill me with their love and attention."

The cowgirl stifled a laugh. That kind of love sounded a lot like the Cobblers.

"Sure thing partner." She grabbed his arm and drag him into the dance floor, a big'ole smile plastered on her face.

The party went on through the night thankfully without hindrance and the Rainbooms played on until dark.

xxxxxxxxxx

"That was the greatest, bestest, most fantastic party… EVER!" Apple Bloom crashed into the living room practically hopping on the couch holding the widest smile she's had in weeks. "I can't wait for the next one. We should totally hold it again next year!"

"If it means I can beat Goldie in that ring toss game a few more times, then I'm all for it." Granny Smith readily agreed patting her small granddaughter over the head while holding on a small stack of money in the one hand. "She always was a sucker in our little games."

"Alright you guys. Hold your horses." Applejack smiled. "Let's not count our chickens before they hatch. Besides, Golden Delicious volunteered to hold the next one and I'll be honest, he can have it." It was just too much work and too costly for her book. "I think I've had enough of a party to last me a lifetime."

"He'll never be able to top what you did tonight big sis! Not in a million years." Nope. No he won't. And it technically wasn't her who made all this arrangements.

"It was also nice for that young man to help out." The old apple lady winked. "What was his name again? Flutterina something?"

"Flash Sentry." Apple Bloom answered. "He's from our school. He's the one that asked big sis to dance with."

"Oh~~~ did he now?" Granny Smith grinned, her tone dripping with suggestion.

Applejack's eyes narrowed. "Granny…"

"Oh don't mind me. I'll just be over here, waiting. Why don't you two hop on to bed now?"

"Aww, but it's still so early!" No it isn't. It's already half passed midnight. It's technically tomorrow. "I'm still excited from the partying. I don't even think I can sleep tonight."

"Hehe… you and me both Apple Bloom." Applejack readily agreed on that. The party might be dying down now with everyone already heading home but she still felt energized. Perhaps that spa treatment with Rarity really did loosen her up.

"Oh! Soup. Did you make this soup Granny?" Heh. Even after all the food in the party she's still hun…

Wait… soup?

"Apple Bloom, don't…!"

But it was too late. The little apple took one sip and her face went paler than concrete. "GAHHH! My tongue! That is the worst soup ever! Water! WATER!" She ran off into the kitchen grabbing the closest liquid she could find and chugged it down.

Applejack couldn't help but laugh. She should've thrown that thing away when she got back. It must've fallen off her mind after all the partying.

Quietly the cowgirl approached the bowl by the couch, staring onto the oddly colored meal. The face of a certain blue haired boy came to mind causing her to snort amusingly. The smell of the soup reached her nose and already she could tell how bad it would taste.

Still… that didn't stop her from picking up her spoon and took a mouthful. And just like the first time, it was horrible. It was sour and sweet at the same time, and a multitude of flavors exploded into her mouth, none of them good. It was absolutely the worst soup ever made in the history of mankind. An abomination of the culinary world.

…

But even so… why? Why did she like it so much? Why did her cheeks brighten thinking of him? And why can't she get this stupid grin off her face?


	7. Preparations

**Chapter 7: Preparations**

**(Monday) (Canterlot High)**

Flash yawned out groggily that morning as he, not so much as walk as in slumped his way to his first class, looking like a half-cooked zombie in a post-apocalyptic world. His band mates greeted him along with a few of his friends but he just waved them back not wanting to be rude. He was far too exhausted to speak – or study at all.

As he closed his eyes the events from last night came flooding in like a migraine. He can't really recall them all but he was certain that there was dancing, music, apples and cider.

Ugh… oh god.

There was a lot of cider.

He must've drank like two gallons of that stuff and more. However the other members of that fruit family seemed to inhale like it was air. And it's not like he wanted to compete with them. It was those annoying extended family members of the Apples. The Cobblers… or something. They were the ones responsible for his aching stomach and throbbing headache. The old man insisted that they had a drinking contest saying that it was tradition for guests to prove their worth or something along that line. Flash obviously didn't even get close to beating them and would've puked the contents of his stomach if Applejack hadn't stop them.

Word of advice to his future self: Never try to outdo an Apple. You're only gonna get yourself hurt.

Speaking of Applejack, Flash found himself strangely drawn to that country girl. Her smile was downright infectious and it beamed throughout the event like a star. Seeing her home fixed and her family enjoying the festivities brought out the joy in her like never before. She was, dared he say, kind of cute too.

They must've spent the whole night together going around the farm, introducing him to every passerby that asked. She was practically glowing in the moonlight. Though that might just be because she just came from the spa.

The party itself lasted well into the night with him being dragged from one side to the next. He wasn't really sure why but it seemed like the whole apple family wanted him all to themselves. Perhaps they were just being overly friendly. He was just glad that there were no alcohols provided, otherwise it would've been a totally different party.

His dad would probably lecture him later for his abrupt spending. Hiring an entire construction company to rebuild, repair and remodel a whole farm on such short notice was going to put a dent on their bank accounts. But considering who he was helping, he'd say that it was worth it.

While he wouldn't openly say it, Flash had secretly wished that he could be a part of those girls' magical adventures. To be able to see and use magic like the ones they performed throughout the school year left a lingering sensation. He wished he could use magic – or at the very least see it like they do.

But no. That wasn't meant to be. Those girls were the heroes of this story. They were the main cast, the protagonists of this book while he and everyone else here were cast on the sidelines to be nothing more than background characters. As far as those girls were concerned, he was probably just another guy that the author simply gave too much screen time for no reason.

Ms. Cheerilee started her class not long after the bell rang. She called out names and took attendance. He raised his hand of course when called but didn't really pay much attention to anything else. He was too tired to do anything.

Maybe he'll just sleep through first period.

_"Attention."_ The school's PA system blared up catching the attention of the class. _"Would student, Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer, please report to the Principal's office?"_

Hmm?

The names suddenly sparked the boy awake lifting his sleepy head from the table. It's strange for the two of them to be called like that. They couldn't have caused trouble. Twilight was practically a model student and Sunset is… well it wouldn't be her first call to the office but she's reformed now.

There can only be one other reason. And Flash knew exactly why.

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight didn't really liked being called to the Principal's office. While she does know that she couldn't have done any wrong… at least not that she knows of, that didn't mean she enjoyed it. Being called to the head honcho's office was like a dent on one's reputation in school. If anything, such a call would put a massive stain her personal school record. It would give future teachers the impression that she was a troublemaker.

With a sigh she knocked on the door with Sunset by her side.

"Come in."

The girl creaked the door open, sticking her head inside. "You called for us Pri… Vice Principal Luna?" She was startled when they realized that it wasn't Celestia on the throne. "You… called for us?"

"I did. Please. Have a seat." The two of them did so, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"We're… not in trouble, are we?" Sunset asked just to be sure. "Not that we have any reason to be in trouble or anything ahehehe."

Luna smiled back reassuringly. "You can relax girls. Neither of you are in any trouble." They breathed a sigh of relief. "I actually called you two here because of another matter." She pulled out a newspaper from the desk and showed them a segment at the far back. "There's been word going around the city lately that a large wolf-like creature has been seen roaming the neighborhood. While I don't usually take these rumors seriously, several of our staff and students have been reporting seeing it as well. They all agree that this… animal is like a living shadow, appearing and reappearing wherever it wishes. I don't suppose you girls would know anything about that now, would you?"

The two eyed one another, clearly showing signs of suspicion.

"Well… it's… complicated." Twilight answered. "Very complicated. It just so happens that we discovered magic here and we believe that it's somehow related to that creature."

"Is that so?" Luna eyed them carefully. "And I don't suppose this creature is related to why Big McIntosh was rushed to the hospital the other day?" Ah… right. They forgot about that. "Girls. I understand that this magic of yours is not exactly… common. The school has agreed to keep it a secret but there's only so much that we can do before this whole thing blows over. I don't want this turning into another major incident like the Fall Formal or the Friendship Games." The two girls cringed at the memory of those events. "We all know that this school could use a break from your… magical escapades. And I don't want anyone else, including yourselves, to get hurt."

"It won't happen." Sunset said with determination. "We promise."

"Good. And with Principal Celestia going on a goodwill assignment with the new Superintendent of Crystal Prep Academy, I don't want anything to interfere with the school. Especially not so close to the Winter Holidays."

"Crystal Prep?" Twilight blinked. "You mean Professor Sombra?"

"You know him?" Luna somehow looked surprised.

Sunset nodded. "Flash uh… told us about him the other day. He said that he just came back from some exploration?"

"His expedition in the Yaztec Forest." The Vice-Principal corrected. "Though that is kind of surprising. Flash doesn't normally talk about his family to anyone."

"He doesn't?" Both girl gave a questioning eye-raise. "Why not?"

"He doesn't like people knowing the true status of his family. Being a well-respected and recognized Professor in Manehattan, you might say that such a position comes with certain… privileges – and wealth." That part was pretty much obvious ever since he singlehandedly fixed Applejack's home. "He just wants people to see him as he is, not because of where he came from. I heard that they used to be close until his mother passed away."

That was a surprising tidbit of information. "You know Professor Sombra too Ms. Luna?"

"We went through college together. He was the smartest out of our whole class. He was pretty much the best of us before…" She paused, a sad memory returning. "… things happened." But she quickly brushed it off, forcing a smile. "But that's all in the past now. Look at me, gossiping to you girls. In any case I want this incident nipped in the bud before it spreads. I don't want anything strange or bizarre happening to this school while Celestia is away."

If only she knew of all the magical adventures that they've been through, she wouldn't make that kind of order.

"Don't worry, Vice Principal Luna." Sunset reassured her. "We'll do everything we can to stop it. We got this."

**(Cafeteria) (Afternoon)**

"We so don't got this."

Twilight patted her friend as she slumped onto her table with a deep groan. Sunset was feeling really confident about their chances of solving this mysterious magical case. But after hearing what Twilight had to report, her confidence plummeted to the ground.

"Sorry about that. I forgot to tell you about the scans yesterday. As powerful as my equipment are, they can't exactly track the shadow monster precisely."

"Aww man!" Rainbow Dash forked her baked potato in frustration. "And here I thought we'd get to Pony-up and fight that thing head on. I even got Rarity here to find me a Daring Do costume from the movie: Knights of the Rectangular Table! It was supposed to be my epic comeback!"

"Didn't you say you improved your umm… tracking thing?" Fluttershy reminded. "I thought you could see us whenever we use our powers."

"It's easier with Equestrian Magic. That's how I tracked the Dazzlings in the first place. But this power seems more or less… sophisticated. Even the artifacts that are in the museum look like they cover an entire block of the city. Tracking the wolf monster will take a while longer. And when I do, it'll most likely move the moment we get there."

"Well we all knew it wasn't gonna be easy." Applejack stated with some hint of relief. "If all our adventures had such a clear sight, it wouldn't be called adventures. I'm just glad it didn't strike my farm a second time. I'm keeping a nightlight with me from here on out."

"Is there any way we can help, darling? We might not be on par with you and Sunset when it comes to magic and science and stuff but we do want to do our part."

"Oh! I can make a victory cake!"

"We haven't even fought it Pinkie." Rainbow pointed out.

"I know. But we all know we're going to win. So it's great to plan ahead."

The multicolored gal opened her mouth to argue but paused. Soon she gave it a thought and smiled, nodding. "Huh… you make a good argument. I'd like mine to have all chocolate… please."

Twilight smiled back gratefully. "Thanks. But right now the only way to improve my tools would be to have a direct source of that magic to work with. If I could just get my hands on one of those artifacts, I can use it pinpoint the shadow creature much faster."

"Oh sure. That sounds like a great idea." Sunset dramatically added with a tone dripping with sarcasm. "Why don't we just break into the museum and steal a priceless historically significant artifact? I'm sure that'll look good on our permanent record."

Twilight gave her friend a glare which didn't leave much of an impact seeing how adorable she was. "Actually I was thinking we could ask Flash to get it for us."

Say what now?

"Eh?"

"Flash." She repeated. "His dad technically owns those items. So I was wondering if he could ask if he could let us take a look at it…"

"Whoa whoa whoa. Easy there Twily. I was only kidding. You know that right?" Sunset blurted, waving her hands out in panic. "It's one thing to ask Flash to get you in at the museum event. But asking him to grab one artifact? That's a step too far even for me. And trust me… I've done a lot of bad things back in my early days here."

"But how else are we supposed to find this monster? You heard Vice-Principal Luna. This shadow wolf has been seen all over the city. Who knows what it'll do next? And you said that we'll do everything we can to stop it. We need to be daring if we want to get to the bottom of this and Flash is our best ticket."

"Someone called my name?" The girls squealed when the boy in question mysteriously appeared at the foot of the table with a tray of food in hand. "Uh… hi?"

"H… hey…" Applejack smiled, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head while tilting her hat down to hide her rosy cheeks. Pinkie also had a similar reaction though she hid her emotions well with whip cream.

"Flash." Sunset chuckled awkwardly. "H… how long have you been standing there?"

He looked over to his imaginary watch and shrugged. "About five seconds. And then I heard you guys call me." Twilight smiled sweetly at him before suddenly scooting away to make room. She gestured him to sit which he gladly accepted. "I heard you two got called to the office. Let me guess: It was a magical problem?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Why else would you two be called into the Principal's office?" True. Ever since the Fall Formal, Sunset hasn't exactly been getting herself in trouble. And Twilight was too much of a goody two-shoes to get herself into any sort of trouble. (Less they be magic of course) "It doesn't have anything to do with the big bad wolf that's been going around, does it?"

"Bingo bongo!" Pinkie cheered.

Twilight's face sweetened. "Actually Flash… we are investigating the recent sighting of the monster."

"Twilight…" Sunset gave a warning tone to her best friend who was looking at Flash with a cutesy look on her face. Surely she wouldn't try and pony favors on him. Pun intended.

"And… we were wondering if you could help out."

"Really!?" The boy's expression beamed like someone had just set up a surprise birthday party for him. He was like an easily manipulated puppy who would happily do any trick or bear any humiliation when its favorite treat was being dangled in front of it. Sunset felt somewhat guilty for that, knowing how much her ex-boyfriend wanted to be a part of their adventures. "Sure! Anything for you girls."

"I know it's kind of a big thing to ask. But what are the odds that you can get one of the magical artifacts from the museum?"

"The what now?" Ah… good. He's not completely naïve. The boy was probably expecting something easy and simple but he was handed a rather daring task. "You want one of that Yaztec stuff from the museum?"

"I know that they were donated to the museum and all…"

"Loaned, technically." Flash corrected earning a surprised look from the girls. "They were just put on display temporarily for the fundraiser event. They'll be officially donated to the museum once the new wing is finished. Right now they're just sitting in my house."

"Your father keep priceless relics… at home?" Even Rarity found that to be strange.

"Well… yeah. We have this vault where he keeps everything he brings back from his expeditions." A vault in a house? Geez, the more they learn about him the more he starts to look like the rich kid in the neighborhood. How much did it take to make something like that? She could barely afford to replace her own backpack. "But why do you need them?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that we need it to track a giant wolf monster that's been going around the city lately?"

The boy blinked, looked up and then down at her again. "Surprisingly… yes. But I'm not sure dad will like me taking things out from the vault."

"Please Flash?" Twilight pleaded. "I know it's a lot to ask but this would really help us out. Besides it's not like we're gonna keep it forever. We just need one of them for a few minutes to copy the magical energy components and then you can bring it back before your dad even knows it was gone." She smiled sweetly, batting her eyes.

…

"I really can't say no to you girls, can I?"

"YES!" The nerd pumped her fist up in triumph. "You're the best Flash."

His smiled widened at that comment. Like a dog wagging its tail to its owner. Was he always this easy to manipulate? It's a wonder why he even broke up with her when he did.

**(Crystal Prep Academy) (Principal's office)**

Ok… let's do this one more time. I know we've gone over everything about two… hundred times already, but one more time wouldn't hurt.

Clothes… wrinkle free… check.

Hair… perfect… check.

Speech? Recited and practiced to heart… check.

Makeup… check.

Heart and mental fortitude… fortified! Double check.

Right. She was ready. As ready as she'll probably ever be at this point. She just needs to walk in, smile, wave, give an inspiring speech to the students and pose for a picture or two and then she'll be on her way. No need to linger here and make things anymore awkward than it needs to be. Maybe give a compliment or maybe even a gift.

Yes! A gift! That'll be perfect!

… but there wasn't much time to find anything or gift wrap them.

Dang it! If she knew this whole ordeal would take all afternoon she would've done something extra. Now she'll be just as bare as her hands.

Ugh! Why do we have to be stressed now of times!? Come on Celestia. Think of those breathing lessons Luna taught you. Just focus on the task at hand and exhale.

Oh! Coffee! There was a coffee pot right next to the Principal's table. Strange. She always thought that Cadance was a tea person. Regardless, she wouldn't mind if she helped herself for a cup.

Hmm…

That's weird. Are coffee supposed to taste like this or was that her stress just messing with her? Ah who cares? It's coffee! Just add cream and sugar and it'll taste as good as new.

"Principal Celestia?"

The woman stood up at attention when a familiar voice called her out. Two figures approached with soft and professional looks on their faces.

"Oh! Principal Cadance. How good it is to see you again."

"You too." Cadance returned her smile exchanging pleasantries. "But I'll be back to Dean Cadance after today. I'll be forfeiting my position to the new superintendent. But you probably know that by now."

"Yes. It's a shame though. I really enjoyed our time during the last summer fair. We could've gone for so much more."

"Don't remind me. I still got the stomach cramps to prove it." The former Principal quickly turned to her companion. "Oh and let me introduce you to my partner. This is Shining Armor. An alumni here in Crystal Prep. He's been helping me greatly when I was running the school taking my old position. He'll be stepping down of course just like me."

"Too bad. I was kind of getting used to _'Dean'_ Shining Armor too."

"Yes. I heard about you. Twilight Sparkle mentioned you a few times."

"She did?" The young man's cheeks turned a shade of red as he shook hands with the older woman. "That's… unexpected. She wouldn't happen to mention anything… unusual… about me?"

"No. Not that I know of." She grinned. "Though she did mention something about winning the Sibling Supreme Crown." Something she was adamantly proud of.

Shining Armor groaned, planting one palm on his face. "Of course she would."

"Speaking of crowns, where's…?"

"Superintendent Sombra is meeting with the other faculty. He should be around shortly." Cadance answered. "I'm really glad that you came to usher him in to the other students. Normally I'd be the one to handle this part. But with things as they are…"

"I know. Believe me. I completely understand how you feel. When I had to be ushered in by the last Principal of CHS, it was really awkward. He made it look like I was doing a hostile takeover." The three of them shared a laugh with one another breaking whatever tension that was between them. "By the way, I helped myself to some of your coffee. I hope you don't mind."

The mention of coffee seemed to make the two curious for a moment. "Coffee? I don't drink coffee."

Shining Armor's face paled. "Wait. You didn't… drink from that pot over there, did you?" Her awkward silence answered his question. "That… hasn't been used since Principal Cinch left the academy."

…

Oh crud. Somehow her stomach wasn't feeling so good and her face turned greener than grass.

"I think I need to use the restroom." She mad a dash for the door only to have it open from the other side. And there she came face to face with the last person that she needed to see.

"Lesty?" The man spoke, clearly just as surprised to see her.

"Sombra!?"

The world suddenly went silent for a moment. Memories of a previous life flashed before her eyes. That charming face and rugged sideburns. His gleaming green eyes and gray skin. He was exactly how she remembered him. The lonely boy who she saw in the school library so many years ago who then one day became her special-someone. Words churned in her head wildly, as they tried to form around her throat.

Powerful feelings that she buried inside of her all those years ago then suddenly began to resurface.

And then came in the form of her vomit spilling all over his coat.

**(Sleepy Sirens)**

Closing time. Finally.

Adagio let out a sigh when she closed the door to the café stretching out her arms from a long shift's work. Despite it being only five hours of work, it felt like an eternity had passed by. And spending those hours with two of the most annoying people in the world stretched her patience to its limits.

"Ugh… finally we can go home." Aria grumbled out loud like she always do. "I thought this day would never end. Why do we have to work here again?"

"For the negative energy silly!" Sonata answered back far more cheerful than the other two. "I mean, we've been doing it for months now. I'm surprised you forgot."

"I was being facetious."

"OH! Well… I was being facetious… too."

"You don't even know what that means."

"Sure I do!"

"Prove it."

"Enough!" The orangette snapped, rubbing the temple between her eyes. "It's bad enough I had to spend an entire day with you idiots. My brain feels like it's being shrunked just by being near you two. It can only handle so much stupidity."

Aria scoffed back. "Whatever. You're lucky you don't have to deal with that four-eyed punk who keeps calling for assistance."

"Aww… come on Aria. You know he's only doing that to get your attention. He totally has a huge crush on you." It was true. It was kind of adorable actually. The kid seemed to be infatuated with Aria and always gave her this puppy-dog look when she wasn't looking. And he wasn't the only one either. Aria had become somewhat of a celebrity in the café. With her looks at sharp tongued attitude she managed to assemble a pretty respectable fan club.

The purple haired Siren gagged her tongue out in disgust. "Oh please. As if I'd want to go out with a human. Give me a break."

"Quiet! Let's just go home and get some rest."

"Oh oh! Can we get something to eat first? There's this cake place called the Sweet Shoppe just a block from here. They have like the BEST donuts ever."

"Fine! If it'll get you to be quiet for the next fifteen minutes. We…" The leader of the Sirens paused when she felt the air shift behind her. The street lights flickered while the clouds loomed over threatening to pour soon. Her eyes sharpened in the dark alley a few corners away from the café.

"Adagio?" Aria noted her behavior. "What's up?"

She glared a bit at the shadow before returning to them. "Nothing. Just a smell. Come along girls. The last thing we want is to be caught in the city at night."

**(Flash's home)**

If you would judge Flash Sentry by his appearance and attitude alone, no one would blame you to say that he was just your average rocker guy living a humble life. Heck, with his attire, you'd probably say that he was just a teeny-tiny bit above average than most of the students in CHS. And you'd never picture him living in a giant mansion. Unless of course he became a successful rock star.

The large green garden was the first sight anyone would see with a circular road at the center decorated by a beautiful fountain. A marbled path led up to the steps of his home that marveled any visitor who caught a glimpse of this place.

There was a reason why he never brought any of his friends home. If any of them ever found out where he lived, the rocker boy image he built over the years would come crumbling down in an instant.

Parking his car by the garage door, the boy was greeted by his butler who bowed lowly at his presence.

"Welcome home, Master Flash. How was school?"

The boy shrugged back like he always did giving the same answered he repeated thousands of times before. "It was great Edmund. Same old same old. Is dad home?"

"Master Sombra is currently meeting with the board of directors today at his new school. He will not be back any time soon, sir. Speaking of which, shall I have the chefs prepare supper? The salmon today is quite fresh."

"Not today Edmund. I got plans tonight." If the butler was offended by the late minute change, he didn't show it. He quietly followed Flash into the house where it expanded into a luxurious living room with marbled floorboards and stairs leading to the third floor. "I wouldn't mind a sandwich though."

The butler curled the smallest of smiles. "I shall have the chef prepare them. Strawberry jam, correct?"

"You know me best, Edmund." The boy quickly dismissed the older man before quietly traversing the halls of his home. Normally by now he'd go straight to his room for a little rest or the bathroom to get the day's sweat off his body. But right now he had bigger plans.

With some hint of stealth, the boy made his way to his father's vault. Though the word_ 'Vault'_ would be too much of an exaggeration. They simply called it that because it was where they put all the priceless artifacts that he collected over the years. Some of them had the value in the tens of digits while others were simply items that the old man found interesting. A glass jar, a statue of an acrobat, this weird mask or even a sword or two which Flash found kind of cool. There were times he would even entertain the idea of bringing them out to play but eventually outgrew it. The thought of using priceless relics as toys wasn't exactly a good idea.

Eventually he came upon the artifacts. The ones that was supposed to contain magic. It was a big risk, taking such objects from the safety of their display cases. Dad always said that they should be handled by professional movers with their industrial white gloves and no one else. Doing so would risk damaging the relics.

The boy weighed his options, glancing at each objects carefully. The statue seemed like a safe bet seeing that it was made out of stone. But it was also pretty big and cumbersome. He'll have to lift it with both his hands to transport it safely and people here would notice. The dagger was portable but it looked very fragile. Not to mention you can still cut yourself with that thing. The Chalice of Wishes was a tempting choice too but seeing as it was the centerpiece in his father's collection, people would notice it missing immediately.

And so with a heavy heart he made for the next best thing.

The bowl. It was the most logical choice. It was made out of ceramic, a bit fragile but it could survive a night outside its safe-space.

"Calm down Flash." The boy muttered to himself, breathing heavily. "Remember, you're doing it for them. They're counting on you. You're just borrowing it for one night. You'll have it back before anyone realize it's missing." He quietly reached for a hidden compartment behind the vault door finding a set of keys within. He's been through this place a thousand times before. They never changed the location of the spare keys. With a defining click, the display case opened. There were no alarms, and hardly anyone would take a look at the security footage until tomorrow.

He then quietly stuffed the bowl into his jacket and walked out the door.

**(Twilight's home)**

The frown on Sunset's face went deeper than one might expect as she scanned the text on her phone, reading the words carefully. She was the first to arrive at Twilight's place, preparing for a fight… or a sleepover, whichever came first.

"Flash just sent me a message." She announced to her best friend who cuddled her pet dog tightly. "He's got the artifact and is on his way."

"Excellent! I'll get my equipment ready." The girl hastily got to work, putting all the gadgets and gizmos up like they were Christmas decorations. Her room practically looked like the setting of a mad scientist's laboratory. With all those pipes, wires and gauges that measured some twisted data, it's no wonder she was voted to be the resident nerd of the school last year. All that was missing was a platform that raises corpses to the roof to be struck by lightning and brought back to life.

"I still can't believe you actually went and got Flash to do this."

Twilight sighed. She was really getting tired of this conversation. "I didn't force him to do anything. He wanted to help so I asked him. The artifact will speed up our search process. And the faster we find this shadow monster, the faster things will go back to normal."

"I know. It's just that – It looks like we're using him for all of this. He means well but I get the feeling that he goes a tad bit too far."

"Are you talking about how he fixed Applejack's farm in just a single day."

"Yeah. Kind of like that." She admitted that it looked a bit strange. "I mean… I've known Flash ever since freshman year and we've dated for a while but I never knew that he…" The words were lost to her.

"Came from an incredibly wealthy and highly-respected family?"

"Yeah… that." Sunset tilted her head in thought. "I mean… how did I miss that?"

"Well you heard what Vice-Principal Luna said: Flash doesn't talk about his family that much. He probably likes to keep to himself."

"You've seen Flash, right?"

Twilight shrugged back. "I know that despite his… personal appearance, it is surprising. But there are things that people like to keep to themselves. I mean… even I have a few things that I don't you guys."

"You mean like your Sibling Supreme contest with your brother?" Sunset stated with a dung eating grin.

"Hey! I told you that in confidence."

"I'm just saying that it's weird that I'm only learning about this now. It… kind of makes me realize just how bad of a girlfriend I was to him."

The scientist puckered her lips in thought. "Huh… maybe that's why you're so hung over about this."

"Excuse me?"

"About Flash helping." She explained, not stopping on her work. "Maybe it's because of your previous relationship with him, you're seeing things from the perspective of the old you. You said it yourself that you only dated Flash because it would boost your popularity in school. And somehow that's twisting your logic. You used him for your own benefit and seeing me do the same is pulling all those old feelings back. I think deep down you're still feeling guilty about what you did to him back then and don't want to repeat that process."

"That's…" Sunset opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it when she thought about what her friend said. It's true. She was a horrible person before she reformed and perhaps an even worse girlfriend than she thought. Perhaps all that time she never really got to mend fences. "That actually makes sense."

"Remember how things turned out with Wallflower Blush when she brainwashed everyone?"

"How can we forget?" She paused thinking on that sentence. "Pun intended. But… yeah. I see your point. I just never really thought about it. It's just that… when he said he forgave me for all the things I did, I must've believed that everything was back to normal. But I guess I haven't really forgiven myself. I did some… really bad stuff back then."

"No one's perfect Sunset. We all make mistakes. It's what we do afterward that makes the difference." Twilight smiled warmly, giving a reassuring pat on the back. "And hey, maybe when all of this is done we can take him out for something nice. I'm sure everyone would pitch in after what Flash did for us. It'll be like a party."

"That… does sound good." Sunset nodded, a smile spreading on her face. "I'm sure Applejack would approve. He did build her a new barn after all."

Twilight laughed. "This is usually the part where Rarity goes: Goodness me. Seven girls taking one boy out for dinner? Oh the scandal! Whatever would they say?" She imitated the fashionista from her voice down to her fall-on-couch technique which made her friend snicker.

**(Sweet Shoppe)**

As much as Adagio wanted to hate this little detour, she had to admit that the food here were pretty good. She wouldn't mind visiting this place again so long as they have Sonata's favorite donuts. Those round pastries with colorful dust put on top. She sunk her teeth in one and felt the flavor explode in her mouth.

"I can't believe we got here just before closing time." Sonata happily stated as she chewed on her share of the treats. "Those cake people were so nice they even gave us two extras! How awesome is that?"

"More like they didn't want them to go to waste." Aria deduced deadpanned. "How can you stomach that stuff? Don't we like… eat these at the café like all the time?"

"Yeah but the treats we have there have no frosting. The boss keeps saying that its budget cuts. Whatever that means. Oh! Maybe we should try lattie next."

"It's pronounced latte."

Sonata waggled her finger at her. "Tsk tsk tsk. Come now Aria. I'm the one who works at the coffee stand. I think I know best when it comes to pronouncing things there. Like capanchio."

"It's cappuccino."

"Yeah! What did I say?"

Ugh… for the love of…

Do these idiots have to argue over the dumbest things? Who cares what they're called!? As long as you can serve in time without complaints, then it's fine. There's no need to memorize everything that jerk of a boss tells you to. They're all doing a good enough job already. They don't anymore…

Hmm?

Adagio's eyes sharpened when the air shifted once more. She felt that strange presence once again lurking nearby. It was the same one she felt back near the café. It was a pressure, a dangerous one at that. And whatever it was, it was making her skin crawl.

"Come on girls." She urged them. "Walk faster."

They did so at her command.

And just as she suspected, that **'thing'** followed them too.

Quietly she gave her 'sisters' a knowing look and they nodded. They quickened their pace, still pretending to be oblivious to their stalker.

They found a quiet corner hidden away from prying eyes. It was a narrow alley behind an apartment building where the tenants discard their trash. No one would be there at this time of night.

And like a lost puppy 'it' followed them, turning to the alley only to find it… empty?

"Didn't your mother teach you any manners? Don't you know it's rude to be stalking people in the middle of the night?" Adagio stated appearing from behind as if by magic. But if the creature felt any sense of intimidation it certainly didn't show it. Instead its eyes narrow back at her, showing its hidden fangs. "So you're the big bad wolf those annoying girls have been talking about? I thought you'd be bigger."

"Aww… it's like a cute shadow puppy. But… bigger." Sonata and Aria followed suit, appearing from the other side of the alley cornering the beast. "Can we keep it?"

"Not really sure the owner would like that."

"It doesn't matter." The head of the Sirens scoffed. "What matters is that I don't like folks trailing me like some kind of hound. Now." She raised her hand up, her fingers glowing with power. "Are we going to talk? Or do we need to send you back to your master whimpering?"

It replied with a roar and lung at her with its hind legs.

Adagio expected that kind of response and quickly opened her mouth. The magic flowed from her finger creating a bright ray of light that banished the darkness.

The shadow reeled back, feeling its own skin fizzle and burn like a vampire facing the sun. It growled and barked before quietly changing target.

Aria followed it up using the same spell to blast another bright light pinning the monster to one side of the alley. It seemed like a one-sided fight.

Until the creature got smart and sunk into the nearest shadow, seemingly retreating from this battle.

"Pfft… not even a challenge." Aria grumbled feeling like the whole fight seemed anti-climactic somehow. "And to think that those girls that beat us are actually afraid of this thing."

"Aria! Behind us!" Sonata shouted spotting the monster coming out of the dark and quickly cast the same light spell to fight it. Thankfully she was quick enough and the beast recoiled from the beam. "Ha! Nice try doggy. But it's three against one! You don't stand a cha-eh?" She regretted those words immediately when she noted the shadow wolf suddenly split a piece of its own body to summon two smaller versions of itself. "Uh… can shadow monsters do that?"

"Stop talking for one minute and fight back!" Adagio ordered combining her magic with her 'sisters'. But much to their surprise the giant shadow wolf simply split more of itself sending its minions to attack their blind spots. The roles then reversed and now them found themselves surrounded by this beast. They fought back valiantly, blasting one small shadow monster after another. But with every beast they took down, it was quickly replaced with another. They were as numberless as the darkness around them.

"Uh… Adagio. I think we might in over our heads."

Darn it all! To be beaten by shadow slaves of all things!? How humiliating. It's bad enough they had to be beaten by a bunch of kids, now this? If only they still had their amulets and their full Equestrian Magic, she'd make an example of whoever was controlling these things and give him/her a piece of her mind!

But just as she formed a plan, Sonata suddenly noted the mother of these shadow spawns suddenly grew in size. It towered over them, bearing its eyes and teeth ready to swallow them whole. She quickly realized its plan. There was no way to dodge it.

"Ow! What are you…" Adagio never got to finish when she found herself thrown out of the encirclement with Aria. The blue haired girl's deathly scream faded as the monster gobbled her up.

"Sonata!" Aria cried out in panic and tried to rush in but her leader stopped her.

"Are you crazy!? You'll get eaten!"

"But… Sonata…!"

"Focus your magic." Adagio ordered stepping forward with both hands glowing. "Full power! Hold nothing back!" And with a blast of magic not seen in this world for some time, the two Sirens burned like the stars and banished the shadows from whence they came. The spawns and the mother vanished instantly leaving behind the girl it swallowed unconscious on the ground.

"Sonata!" Aria called out and reached for the poor girl cradling her head in one hand. "Sonata, say something!" The girl stirred, her eyelids lifting up just barely. Her lips moved but they couldn't make out the words. "Don't worry. I got you now. We'll get you home and you'll be all better."

But Adagio didn't share that sentiment. Her eyes darted to the darkness and noticed how the shadows there began to reform. The beast was coming back and it was spawning more of its children for a second round.

"We need to move. Now." Frightened and panicked they quickly grabbed Sonata and bolted out of there before they became the monster's next meal.

They ran. Ran faster than they've ever done before. But despite their efforts that 'thing' followed them. She can feel their magical presence slithering through the darkened corners of the street. It chased them from one block to another, breaking light bulbs and lanterns along the way.

"They're gaining on us!"

"Yes I can see that, Cpt. Obvious! Keep moving! We have to find some place that has enough light that it won't be able to chase us!" Which was a lot easier said than done seeing as most of the stores in the downtown area were closed. No one would be dumb enough to drive through this area at this time of night.

But to her surprise, she was wrong and there was someone dumb enough to come through here in their time of need. A vehicle was coming through.

"Wait here." Adagio ordered before suddenly jumping onto the road blocking the car's path. Thankfully the driver on the wheel slammed hard on the breaks screeching the tires out, the front bumper just inches away from turning her into road-kill.

"Hey!" The young blue haired driver popped out from his car, shouting. "What's the big idea?" But she didn't have the time or patience to deal with this and quickly shoved him back inside, signaling Aria to hop in before taking the passenger seat.

"Drive."

"What?" The driver questioned before the shadow wolf caught up roaring loudly at them.

"I said DRIVE!"

**A/N: Woohoo! Lights, camera, car... and... ACTION!**


	8. Chase

**Chapter 8: Chase**

**(Streets of Canterlot)**

A lone car sped through the streets of the city that night racing around like its life depended on it.

For the occupants of that car, it really was a race for dear life.

"Look out!" Adagio held on as they hit another hump on the road making the car bounce along with the passengers. Her head rattled slamming on the ceiling while her body rocked back and forth from the impact. "Can you be a little more careful!?"

"Hey you're free to take over if you want!" The driver snapped back, one part angry while another part panicked over the shadowy terror chasing behind them. "Is that the magic wolf thing that's been going around town?"

"What gave it away? Its giant fangs or its shape?"

"I thought there was only one!"

"Quit your yapping and drive!" The boy did so, putting his weight on the acceleration already passing the legal speed limit around here. It was a fast car but the shadows were just a tad bit faster. Soon they slipped out of the ground galloping on their four legs. "These things are really starting to tick me off!" She blasted a beam of light at one of them banishing it to the void.

"Ugh! Dang it. There's no room back here!" Aria complained, trying to find a comfortable spot to put her feet up.

"Sorry but this is a two seater car. Not a lot of room for a third passenger."

"Then I'll make room." She grabbed the largest object at the back and tossed it out the window.

"HEY! That's my guitar!"

"Not anymore!"

"Eyes on the road!" Adagio barked again to which the driver had little choice but to comply. "Aria. How's she doing?" The girl on the back glanced over to her unconscious friend who seemed to be drained of all her color.

"She's not looking so good."

Adagio bit her lip swallowing a curse. Whatever those monsters did it was sucking the life out of her friend. "We need to get to uptown."

"What? Why!?" The driver questioned back. "That's half way across the city!"

"These magical creatures thrive in darkness. While there's shadow they'll never stop hunting us. Uptown has the biggest lightshow in the city. They won't be able to come after us there."

He didn't trust that argument one bit but when one of the shadow wolves latched on, he knew he didn't have much of a choice.

"Uptown it is. Hang on!" The driver quickly changed gear and spun the wheel taking a sharp turn on the next intersection. The beast that clung onto the car lost its grip tearing a good chunk of the car with it. "Hey come on! I just got a new paintjob!" He complained uselessly like it would actually care.

The chase went on for another minute or so with the shadow monsters cutting close with every attack. More and more began to show and several pedestrians nearby could've sworn they saw something too but were too engrossed by the speeding car to actually take notice. By then they'd simply shrug and think it was just a pack of stray mongrels.

"Hey! No free rides!" Adagio blasted another of their pursuers that somehow managed to land on the hood of the car. Its blackened body evaporated from the blinding light she emitted. But when it vanished another three latched on with their claws and fangs eating away at the car, chipping it off piece by piece. "Don't these things give up!?"

"What did you guys do to get them so mad?"

"Why don't you go and ask them yourself!?" She barked back, flashing another beast away. "Can't we go any faster!?" The driver growled but decided to keep his comments to himself.

Clang!

A claw pierced through the roof cutting the boy up ever so slightly but just enough to make him bleed. He would've panicked but not before a thought came to mind when he noted a narrow alley directly ahead.

He licked his lips, narrowed his eyes and shifted gear, putting the pedal to the metal.

"Uh… driver man." Aria called out, noticing the alley as well. "What are you doing?"

"Hang on. I know a shortcut."

"But… that's too narrow."

"Relax. We'll fit."

"We're not going to fit."

"We'll fit!"

"We're not going to fit!"

"Then you'd better suck up that gut."

"We're not going to fit! WE'RE NOT GOING TO FITTTTT~~~~~!" The two girls screamed as the vehicle slid in just barely through the two opposing buildings. The side view mirrors were the first to tear off as the walls closed in on them, the alley getting narrower as they progressed. The sound of metal scrapping against the bricked wall was irritable but it was drowned out by their screams and wails. The windshield cracked and many other parts loosened and scattered all over the ground never to be seen again. The whole process lasted for a good long minute until finally… they got through.

The boy panted heavily, swallowing a chunk of his vomit back in, eyes blaring as he made a snarky comment. "Heh. I told you we'd fit."

"I don't think that counts." Aria groaned before noting Sonata's lack of breath. "Oh no. Sonata? Sonata!"

"Aria. What's going on?"

"It's Sonata." The girl panicked. "She's getting cold. I don't understand. It's like…"

"The magic was sucked out of her." Adagio deduced with her eyes widened. Realization dawned on her. "Of course. That explains it."

"Explains what? I don't under…!" The driver asked before suddenly hitting the breaks. The tires screeched to the halt just a few dozen feet away from a large intersection where the mother of all shadow wolves stood between them and Uptown. "Oh… that's… that's a big dog." Adagio agreed on that notion. And there was certainly no way to outrun that thing, not in this wreck of a car. They'll be dog chow before the sun came up.

"Adagio?"

"Quiet! I'm thinking!" If they charge in they're dead, if they reverse they're dead. Not a lot of plans to go by and her magic was waning with each use.

"Wait!" The driver boy spoke. "These guys are afraid of light, right?" The Siren beside him tilted her brow but nodded. "Do you think you can use some of that magic to boost the car?"

She looked over at the broken vehicle and the idea dawned on her. "I like your thinking. Aria – together."

"Got it." At her command the two placed their hands over the steering wheel. They poured what little remained of their magical energies into that broken hunk of metal letting it glow with power.

With one last look, the boy revved his engine and smiled, shouting. "Hey dog breath! You think you're so tough!? Well why don't you have a taste of 60 gigawatts of pure power!" With a flip of the handle his forward lights lit up and shined like the sun itself. It banished the darkness away covering the whole block with a radiance so magnificent that one could paint a picture on it.

The shadow monster let out a mighty pained howl as it felt its body peeled away inch by inch. It tried to sink into the pavement but there was no shadow to hide under. Its little minions vanished instantly, drowned out by the light. Finally after a moment of pain, the big bad shadow wolf was banished letting out one last roar in defiance. It disappeared not soon after, not a spec of it remained.

"Whoa…" Yeah… that was the word she'd use too. Who would've thought this stupid bucket of bolts had fangs of its own. "That was AWESOME! Sorry. Too loud?"

"A little." She answered stoically. "Aria. How's…? Oh…" She didn't need an answer. She could see it as plain as day. Sonata was turning pale and cold. Any more so and she'd look stiller than a statue. "We need to get help."

"Help? Who in this world would want to help us?"

**(Twilight's home)**

Ding dong.

The doorbell rang with a cute tone alerting the resident of visitors.

"Be right there." A cute and honest reply. Figured someone was expecting company. But at this hour? Someone might get the wrong idea. They could hear locks being undone on the other side. "Hey Flash. You're late. What took you so…"

Adagio reached out and slammed the door open catching the girl mid-sentence. "We need your help."

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxx

"YOU WERE WHAT!?" Sunset exploded in a yelling tone that night, eyes brimming equal part furious and confused. The Dazzlings spent the last fifteen minutes explaining the incident to her. It was quite a tale to be sure though some of the action scenes were toned down a bit to save time, much to Rainbow's dismay.

"Like I said: We were attacked by that giant dog." Adagio replied irritated that she had to repeat the gist of it all. "Which part of that didn't you understand?"

"And you brought in other people into this mess!? What were you thinking!?"

"I was thinking that I didn't want to be the monster's next meal."

"I'm ok~" Flash announced, raising a thumb up to the Mane 7 while his face had this cheesy grin plastered on it. For someone who just experienced a life-threatening scenario, he looked pretty happy. Perhaps it was the adrenaline kicking in… or more likely the fact that Applejack offered her lap for him to rest his head while Fluttershy tended to his injuries. "Don't worry about me."

Sunset took a breath and calmed herself down. She was letting anger cloud her emotions and it was messing up her tone and the words she was using.

"Alright. Let's say for a moment I do believe you. Why in the world would the shadow monster go after you? I thought it was only targeting us."

"It wasn't after us." Adagio corrected earning a questioning look from the girls. "As much as it looked like it, that 'thing'? It was after our powers." She paused on that sentence. "To be more precise, I'd say it was after our magic."

"Your magic?" Twilight parroted. "I don't understand. I thought you lost your magical abilities."

"We may have lost our forms and much of our powers when we were banished to this world, but that doesn't change that we are still creature of magic." The Siren leader explained, demonstrating her magic through a glow in her hand. "We breathe magic, feed off it like water. Unlike most magical creatures in Equestria, or you humans for that matter, it sustains us. Without it, we'll wither away and eventually turn to dust. And trust me, that's no way for anyone to go out."

"Is that what's happening to her?" Rainbow pointed over to Sonata who lay on the bed with Aria cradling her head. The poor girl was looking worse and worse by the minutes. "Ouch…"

"That wolf is a syphon." The Siren continued. "It drains host or objects of their magic robbing them of all their energies. Seeing as there's about as much magic here as water in the desert, we must've stood out like a buffet."

"Food?" Pinkie jolted but was put down quickly with a stare from the others. "Ok. I get it. Not a joking moment."

"That… does make sense." Twilight's face beamed as if coming to a realization. "When I chased that wolf creature it didn't attack me until I used up a light spell. And it came after Applejack because she was using her powers to set up the things for her family reunion. It can sense magic."

"Give the girl a prize."

Sunset scoffed, still looking angry. "Fine. That makes sense. But I still don't understand why you'd come to us."

The two Sirens still standing traded looks and nodded. Adagio groaned but sucked her pride in. "Out of everyone we know in this city, you girls are the only ones who possess any real magic. So…" She sighed. "I'd like to propose a trade."

A trade?

Sunset turned to her friends who looked all partly confused. They've never had any kind of dealings with former villains but it doesn't seem like anyone disapproved. They may as well hear what they have to say first.

"We're listening."

"You give Sonata a portion of your magic. Just enough to restore her." She gestured over to her unconscious friend. "At the rate she's going, she might just disappear forever. Do this. And in turn we'll help you find whoever is behind this magical conundrum."

"Wait what?" Flash choked. "Didn't we just beat that thing?"

"We only banished the monster." She explained casually so. "The summoner can simply replace it. And whoever was controlling it is definitely getting stronger. He probably used the magic from the museum to bring it out and hunt other sources of magic to sustain it. If you want to get rid of the shadow beast… you need to take the summoner out."

"And do you know who this guy is?"

"… no. But I'm willing to put an effort."

"Please." Aria pleaded. "She doesn't have a lot of time. Anything will do."

"Listen…" Sunset spoke up. "We'd love to help you out but our powers aren't exactly what you think they are. We use spells. It's completed magic."

"But you have a power source, don't you?" Adagio snapped. "All that power you wield requires magic! And it must come from somewhere!"

"It does." Twilight added. "But we're not sure of it ourselves. While our powers are connected through our geodes we don't rightly understand where the magic comes from. I've been studying it for a long time now and even I don't know the full extent of it."

"Is there really no way?" Fluttershy asked.

"I could probably do some tests and see how it works. Maybe even perform a biometrical rea…"

Adagio's eyes flared. "Arghh! Shut up! I don't care about the details! Just help her!"

"Hey easy!" Rainbow stood her ground. "There's no need to fuss. We're all on the same boat here."

"There is no boat! Gah! If I knew you lot were gonna be this useless I wouldn't even suggested to come here!"

"We never said we had a method of helping. You made that assumption on your own." Sunset countered.

The shouting match started with both sides berating each other with insults and mean words.

Thankfully however Flash jumped between the two sides and raised both his hands to stop them before it escalated any further. "Guys. GUYS! Hang on a moment. Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere. And… I think I have a solution." They all looked at him questioningly before he pulled an object from his jacket. "You said that you need magic to sustain yourselves, right?" He offered the bowl to the Siren leader who eyed it from a distance like it was live grenade. "This thing is supposed to contain a fraction of magic. I don't really know much about the subject but… maybe it can help her."

"Flash!"

Adagio ignored the nerd girl's yelling and looked at the thing. Quietly she reached for the ceramic bowl jolting back when she felt a familiar presence lingering within it. "This magic. It's the same from that monster we fought."

"Do you think it'll work?"

She looked up to his worried expression and slowly nodded. "It's faint but this is definitely raw magic. We can use it to restore Sonata."

"Great!" Sunset beamed with a sigh of relief. "I can use a spell to extract the energy inside and…"

"No time!" With one swift movement Adagio yanked the bowl and dropped it to the floor before stomping it shattering the relic to pieces.

Twilight mentally screamed within while everyone else stood in shock. "What have you done!? That was a priceless historical artifact!"

"Oh put a sock in it!" Adagio waved her hand over the shattered relic drawing out a blue mist from its shattered remnants. "Aria, hold her steady." With a wave, the mist hovered over the Sleeping Beauty and slowly flowed in through her mouth and nose. Nothing was wasted, nothing was left behind.

…

Everyone in the room stood still not trusting their actions. No one dared move in this crucial moment.

After a brief pause Sonata's body began to glow with a soft hue. Her body warmed to the touch and her color slowly returned to her face. She stirred, her expression twisting to discomfort before finally blinking her eyes open. The girl gave out a soft and pained smile looking back at their worried faces.

"Hey guys." She said weakly. "Is it breakfast already?"

"Sonata!" Relief spread across Aria's face as she pulled that idiot in a tight embrace hiding her teary eyes in her hair.

"Whoa! Someone's touchy… aheh~." She replied groggily like she was just waking up from a long nap.

"You stupid stupid idiot! Don't you ever do that ever again! You hear me!?"

"Whaaevver you say~" The girl on the other hand didn't seem to understand the reason but decided to go with it either way. She returned the hug, smiling ever so sweetly. "Hmm… this is nice."

Whatever tension the gang had a few seconds earlier was instantly evaporated by the sight of that warm family bond. Sunset knelt and scooped the pieces of the broken artifact only to cringe at the thought that she was now holding pieces of a priceless museum piece, something of great historical value.

"We… we can fix that. Right?" Twilight hoped though a part of her doubted.

"We're going to need a lot of glue."

**(Celestia/Luna's Apartment)**

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Aha! Ahahahahaha! Oh my god! My spleen! Pfahahaha!" Luna held her stomach back as her laugh echoed throughout the apartment. She rocked her chair back and forth dangerously so, a glass of juice in her hand threatening to spill.

Celestia on the other hand looked far less amused, glaring daggers at her sister who seemed to be reveling in her torment. The Principal looked haggard and worn, her outer coat having a green stain on it.

"Luna… please!"

"Pfaha! I'm… mhaha… I'm so sorry sister. It's just that – that is just too funny!" Luna stifled herself and failed as she just burst out laughing once more. "I mean you haven't seen him for 20 years and the first thing you do to him is throw up all over his coat!? It's hilarious!"

"Don't… remind me." The sparkly woman groaned angrily more to herself than anyone. "It's embarrassing enough to live through it once."

Luna regained her balance on the chair holding her laugh in as the conversation went on. "Well what happened next? Surely that can't be it. Did you deliver your speech?"

"No~~" Celestia sulked slamming her head on the table, one hand reaching out for her glass. "After I spilled my guts all over Sombra I felt even worse. I spent the rest of the afternoon in the nurse's office crying over a pillow. Principal Cadance had to usher him in for me and I… never saw him again."

"Wow sister. I am seeing you in an all new light." She glared at her once more which was left rightly ignored. "I mean what are the odds? The boy who you broke up with coming back to meet you for the first time in two decades and you just… vomited all over him. I mean who does that?" Her sister apparently but she didn't want to say it out loud. "You could've taken him out on one date first."

"Luna…"

"Alright alright. That was the last one, I promise. Still… what did he say? I mean… after you decided to share your lunch with him. Pfa!"

"He…" Celestia thought back. "He said nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I ran off after I puked on him. Didn't even get a chance to say anything else." She banged her head on the table mumbling something incoherent.

"Ouch. That must be… traumatizing." You could say that again. "But hey, look on the bright side."

…

…

…

"Which is?"

"I don't know. I was hoping someone would fill in the blanks for me." Dang it Luna! "Ok. No need to give me the mean glare. But I'm sure he doesn't hate you. It's been over twenty years now. He moved on with Sophie. I'm sure whatever happened between you two is pretty much water under the bridge. He'll probably remember you as the girl who threw up on him instead of the girl who broke up with him."

Celestia's face twitched unexpectedly which didn't escape her sister's notice. She tried to laugh it off but failed to do so.

"Celestia?" Luna's eyes furrowed. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing! Aheh. Why would you think that there's something?"

"Because you're making that face."

"Face? What face?"

"The face you make whenever you have something to say but trying not to say it." It was a face only a sister like her would know. "What's wrong?"

"I… don't…" The blue haired Vice-Principal folded her arms in defiance. "Oh… ok fine. I may as well say it." Celestia stood from her seat and marched towards the coffee pot (Poison free) looking like a puppy that just got lost. "You remember that story I told you about how I broke up with Sombra right before I left for my new post in Hooverton?" She nodded, eyes narrowing to daggers. "Well… I might've left out a few key details out."

She didn't like where this was going. Not one bit. "But you did break up with him, right?" There was a pause. "RIGHT!?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Her little sister slunk back in relief. "Just… not in person."

"You what!?" Luna choked on her drink before slamming it on the table. "Sister! Please tell me you're not saying what I think you're saying. You told me you broke up with him!"

"And I did." She replied calmly yet also holding a hint of shame. "It's just that I… decided to leave it on a note."

"A NOTE!?" Luna screamed like a banshee while her elder sister cowered behind her coffee mug raising it up like a shield that would protect her. "You left this man for 20 years with a note!? That's not a breakup, that's a slap to the face! Though I think I'd prefer a slap to the face than a note. That's so… so… unlike you!"

"I know. I know!" Celestia groaned, chugging her coffee down. She remembered that night pretty well. The panic she had when she gathered her things while scribbling her last words to him on a piece of paper. It was absolutely the worst breakup ever. "I was horrible."

"Wow… I am seeing this whole thing with you and Sombra on a whole different light." The Vice-Principal added sighing heavily. "It's no wonder he was so worked up about it. And here I thought you were the reasonable one. Even I'd take his side right now."

"Not really helping here, Luna."

"I'm sorry sister. I know that the offer in Hooverton was very important to you but what you did to him is simply unacceptable. That man has every right to despise you. You should be ashamed."

And she was. She really was.

"Ugh… maybe you were right. I should've let you do the goodwill assignment. Meeting him again was a mistake."

"Now now sister. There's no need to be dramatic." Luna reached out and patted her on the back. "You said it yourself: We can't escape our past forever. And if it'll make you feel any better, you reap what you sow."

Celestia stared. "How is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"It wasn't."


	9. Be Yourself

**Chapter 9: Be Yourself**

**(Tuesday) (Canterlot High)**

Flash was… in a bit of a foul mood today. If you asked him why, his answer might surprise you. For one thing his car was totaled. Every piece of it having need replacement or repair which would take weeks if not months. Apparently Equestrian magic and combustible car engines don't exactly mix that well.

Secondly was his guitar which was also ruined after it was tossed out during the fight. It was recovered of course though it was missing a few strings and a few parts that would take some time to gather. Nothing too major but it still sucked that his prized possession was caught in the crossfire.

And lastly of course was the artifact itself. The super important relic that he was supposed to keep safe was shattered in a blink of an eye. While he was mad to see it destroyed so suddenly he couldn't exactly blame Adagio for what she did back then.

Her friend's life was on the line and they didn't have a lot of time to debate on values. If there roles were reversed the boy would've done the same thing with no hesitation whatsoever. Her desire to save her friend outweighed everything and that alone was pretty admirable to say the least.

Sunset and Twilight offered to repair it however they can but he wasn't gonna hold on to hope at this point. Fixing something as ancient as that bowl was like trying to put a million-piece jigsaw puzzled back in a minute. Flash decided to fool the security by replacing the bowl with something from the kitchen. Thankfully his father seemed a tad bit busy with his new job at Crystal Prep to actually notice. However this ruse can only go on for so long. Eventually the magic curtains will rise and the illusion will vanish. The boy dread what kind of punishment would be in store for him when the time comes. If he was lucky, dad might just cut him off his allowance until he graduates… from college.

But there was little point dwelling on such things right now. Whatever happens will happen. It's a philosophy that he learned in Professor Doodle's class.

"Hey Flash." The boy perked up from his locker when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Oh… Sunset." He stuttered her name a bit, smiling. "What's up? I don't suppose you managed to fix my uh… arts and craft project." Her disapproving headshake didn't give him much hope. "Oh… well I'm sure it'll all turn out ok. Right?"

"Y… yeah. Somehow." She rubbed her arm trying to ease things over. "Actually. I was hoping we could talk. Do you have a minute?"

A minute? For her? He'll skip school if he had to.

"For you? Always." He added with a warm grin which somehow made her look kind of… guilty. "What's wrong? Did you find out who's controlling the shadow monster?"

"No. Twilight's looking into that." She answered while they walked through the hallway. "I actually wanted to talk about… well… you."

"Me?" There really wasn't a lot to talk about in that subject. Flash was never one to reveal his history other than what people already know about him in school.

"About you… helping us." She added which narrowed down the subject.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No! Of course not." Oh that was a relief. For a moment there he wondered if he screwed up somehow. "Don't get me wrong here. You've been a great help to us these last few days. With our investigation and fixing Applejack's farm. It was really sweet of you. But I think it's… um… I think it's time that you stopped."

The boy froze on his tracks. "What? I don't understand. I thought I was helping."

"You are. Really." She nodded. "It's just that… I'm worried that the more you help, the more you might get drawn into this whole mess. And… I don't want you getting hurt."

"Are you talking about this?" He pointed at the wound he suffered from the wolf last night which healed up nicely after it was treated. "Pfft. It's just a scratch. It's nothing to get worked up about. I've had worse injuries with my guitar."

"Not just that." Sunset corrected. "Sure it might be small now. But then your car, your dad's artifact? If this keeps happening, who knows what might happen? The next time, you might get seriously hurt. Doesn't that scare you?"

Flash scratched the back of his head not really sure what to say. "Well… I guess you could say that. But you girls get hurt all the time too."

"That's because we have magic." That same reason again. It was starting to get irritating. "We can protect ourselves from the monster with our powers. But you on the other hand don't have those."

"Just because I don't have magic doesn't mean I can't help."

"Flash. Listen to me." She urged him. "We were given these powers for a reason. I don't know what they are just yet but I want to believe it was to protect people like you." Sunset gave him a smile, her hand unconsciously moving to his cheeks. "You're a great guy who deserves a lot better than this. So please… don't put yourself in danger for our sakes. Leave the magic stuff to us."

"But Sunset… I want to help."

"I know you do. But… I want you to do it from a safe distance." She added. "That means no more stunts like last night. No more risks."

"But…"

"Please." The rebel pleaded to him. "The last thing I want to see is you getting hurt because of something we did. You don't deserve this. Promise me you'll stay out of this from here on. Promise that you won't just go running into fire."

"I…" Flash felt like he was being drawn to a corner. His ex-girlfriend was going out of her way to get to him cut off with them. And there was no way she'll take no for an answer. He knew that she was the most stubborn out of all the Mane 7 with Rainbow Dash being a close second. With a defeated sigh, he nodded. "I really can't say no to you."

Her face lit up slightly. "So you'll stay out of it?"

"Yes Sunset. I promise I'll stay out of your adventures from here on." She pulled him in for a big hug which he hesitantly returned. The boy noted a few classmates eyeing him from afar, some giggling and passing silent judgment with their dagger-like stares.

"Thank you for understanding." She then pulled away, a shy blush appearing on her cheeks. "I should… probably get to class. I'll um… see you later?"

"Yeah…" He waved farewell as she left him just in time for the school bell to ring. The boy slumped, his mood going down faster than a popped balloon. "… later."

**(Crystal Prep Academy)**

Ok Celestia. Second time's the charm. You might've made a mess of the first approach but you can still salvage this. Just tell him that I was having a bad stomach day. You can restore your integrity by making a good second-impression. And you don't have to worry because this time you came prepared. A box of brownies freshly baked at the Sweet Shoppe. She didn't want to sound like a cheeky pun book but this is sure to earn you some brownie points.

Now all she had to do was… uh… wait a second. Where was she?

She was supposed to be at the Principal's office by now. Dang it! She should've paid attention to Cadance's directions. Now she's lost!

And it's not like it was her fault either. All these hallways look all the same. Put a little color code around here or at least have signs or labels. How is anyone supposed to find their way around here without some kind of landmark? You're more likely to trick them into going in a loop for all eternity!

Now don't panic. Just find a student and ask for directions. It should be simple, right? No need to be scared. The students here aren't that different from her school.

Ring!

_"Oh crud. Was that the bell just now? All the students are rushing to their classes! Quickly now. Grab one before they all disappear."_

"Excuse…" Nope too late. "… me?" The hallways were deserted a moment later.

Oh boy. This was gonna be one of those days, wasn't it?

She wanted to cry.

Was the universe fighting against her? Did she do something bad to deserve this? Did the cosmos decided for karma to strike her back after all these years?

Well… better start walking. One way or another she was bound to run into the office eventually. I mean… how big can this school be?

"Celestia?"

"Bwahh!" She galloped forward when a voice snuck up behind her making her spill her box of cake. Thankfully however the owner of the voice was fast and caught the box right before it fell. "I'm so sorry. You startled me and… and…"

And right then and there she saw him. The face that she hasn't seen for over 2 decades. It was still the same as she remembered but older, more mature. His hair certainly grew along with those sideburns. That chiseled jaw and those deep green eyes.

"Sombra… I… hi?" Wait that came out sounding like a question.

"Hi back at ya." The tall man replied giving a knowing smile. He paused for a moment, not really sure what to say until he eyed the box in his hand. "Double cream filling? Again? I thought you'd outgrow those things after college."

"What? Oh! Right. I was… actually going to share that with… Cadance and… you." She took the box back, giving a good two steps back.

"No coffee?"

"No. I don't really… oh!" Her eyes widened in realization. "You mean yesterday? Aheh… again I'm… very sorry."

Sombra laughed and shrugged. "Don't be. I know exactly what bad caffeine can do. And you actually did me a favor. I was getting bored of that coat anyway. You gave me a good excuse to change my attire. Something new and fresh and doesn't reek of rain-forest."

"I can tell." She scanned him from top to bottom recognizing the form of her old dear friend. "I see you grew that hair out."

"Says the girl with the flowing rainbow hair?"

Ah… right. She forgot about that. "You've certainly changed since we last met."

"And you've improved. Greatly."

Celestia stifled a chuckle. "You always had ways with words."

They stood there for a moment, gazing into each other's eyes trying to find a hint of lingering emotions hiding within. But instead they shared a laugh, breaking whatever tension they had.

"It's really good to see you again Celestia. It's been a long time." _Far… far too long._ She wanted to say. "Oh! My congratulations on your promotion. You must've worked really hard to get to where you are now. You always said that you wanted to run your own school. I guess your dreams do come true."

"Y… yes!" She stuttered, trying to get into the conversation, blatantly trying not to spill out other topics. "Well most of it anyway. It's been a bit of a challenge."

"Oh? Let me guess. Troublesome teens?"

She opened her mouth to protest but stopped. He wasn't that far off except for the magical nature of those troubles. "Actually… very close."

"Ha! It must be hard holding the fort out all on your own."

"Not really. I mean Luna has been a big help."

"Luna?" He shot up surprised. "She's still with you? Wow you two really are inseparable. I figured someone of her personality would land her somewhere on the moon." He held back a laugh when he noted that she wasn't joining. "Uh… you know? Because she's Luna?"

"Oh no. I got it." She brushed it off. "It's just that you use that line way too often. Doodles does the same joke all the time. And yes, Doodles is working in my school too."

"No kidding? Wow. I can't believe my old gang is in town. We should certainly get together sometime. It'll be like the good old days."

Celestia's smile faltered. "Yeah. The… good old days."

The good old days before that night.

Sombra stopped when his wrist began to beep. "Oh. Would you look at the time? We're going to be late for our first meeting. Shall we?"

"Right! Of course. The meeting." She nodded quickly, brushing the old memories away. "Please, lead the way."

"Oh no. After you."

"Oh don't be like that. It's your school."

"Come on. I insist."

The woman raised her hand up to protest until it dawned on her. She looked to him and stared. "Sombra. Are you lost?"

He chuckled back shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.

**(CHS) (Cafeteria)**

"Alright guys, listen up." Twilight opened up calling the gang into order. "Thanks for coming by on such short notice but Sunset and I have an announcement to make." It sounded official, like a club president performing a rehearsed speech to its members.

Sunset nodded in agreement and stood by her friend as she spoke. "Twilight and I have been digging through the magic at the museum and we came to a conclusion."

"You found out who's behind this wolf thing attacking people?" Rainbow Dash deduced though sadly they shook her heads in reply.

"Not exactly." Twilight answered. "I managed to extract some of the magic from the artifact after… Adagio destroyed it." She said that last part venomously. "With it I've been able to recalculate my detector. So the next time whoever uses that same magic source, my equipment will detect it and send me the data in a matter of seconds. However… that will still take time and there's no telling what the shadow monster will do in the mean while."

"Which brings us to our second agenda." Sunset took this next part nodding to her friends. "Now that we know what this thing is after, I've decided that we should take extra precautionary measures to make sure that it doesn't catch us off guard. So from here on out, effective immediately, I am putting the ban-hammer on all magic. That means no telekinesis, no barriers, no super strength, no explosive pastries, no talking to animals, no mind reading and no super speed." Somehow they all had the feeling she directed that last bit directly at the owner.

"Aww come on!" Rainbow whined. "No magic? How am I supposed to get home then?"

"Didn't you used to bike here?" Applejack recalled.

"Yeah but I hardly use that thing at all ever since I knew I could run faster than the city train."

"This isn't just for your safety Rainbow." Twilight explained. "It's for everyone. We all know what this monster is capable of doing and it doesn't seem to care who gets in its way. As long as we have these powers and the magic that channels it, we will be putting those around us in danger every time we use them. We can't afford to take that risk." She darted at the girls who seemed conflicted about the whole ordeal. While the powers were strange at first they all grew accustomed to it using them on every day chores.

"What if the monster decides to attack the school?" Sunset painted a horrifying picture to all of them. "Or even worse, attack our homes like it did with Applejack? Do you really want to risk any of your friends or family getting hurt?"

Fluttershy shuddered at the thought of her animal shelter becoming a target for the monster. "Oh dear. I really don't want to stop talking to all my animal friends. But if it means keeping them safe then I suppose I can keep myself in check."

"Indeed." Rarity readily agreed. "We'll just have to do things the old fashion way. Nothing we can't handle."

"Yeah. Watching cupcakes go boom isn't as fun as it used to be." Pinkie chimed in, taking a bite off her food. "I'd much prefer to gobble them up. I'm in."

"Apple season is pretty much over so I don't really use mine that often now." Applejack shrugged. "So no complaints from me."

Their eyes then fall upon the last member of the group who grumpily noted their looks.

"Ok fine!" Dash submitted. "I promise I won't use my powers. There. You happy now?"

Twilight of course nodded. "Very much. And now we move on to our final agenda for today. The official founding of our very own CIC."

…

Huh?

"The what now?" The Cowgirl asked for all their sakes.

"The Canterlot Investigation Club." Sunset explained to them with a knowing look on her face. "It's an idea that I've been running with Twilight for a while now. Seeing as there have been more magic sightings around the city lately, and not all of us have a lot of time for a get together session like this, we thought we could use this whole club thing as an excuse."

"We wanted to call it the Magic Club but the CMC group already had dibs on the acronyms." A cough from Apple Bloom who sat a few tables away caught their attention. She eyed them wearily with her friends doing the same. "So we decided to go with the CIC instead. We ran this through with Vice-Principal Luna and she agreed to help out by giving us access to the school grounds on holidays. That way we can use some of the resources without putting others in danger."

"So… it's like a club?"

"Not like a club, Dash." Twilight corrected. "It's 'A' club. Right now it's just me and Sunset but we were hoping you guys would join up to make it official. We made reservations in the music room to act as our headquarters."

"Oh! Does that mean we get to wear matching outfits?" Rarity grinned in excitement.

"Uh… sure?"

"Aiii! Please let me do it! No. I demand to be the one to do it! The theme will be: Fantasy Private Investigators! A combination of Sherlock and Wizardry!" The fashionista put her palm forward raising it over in an arc. "I can see it now. We shall wear capes, easy footwear and wizard detective hats! It will be… ingenious."

Applejack laughed. "Well I'm in. It'll be nice to hang out even more without looking for a reason."

"Excellent!" Twilight cheered. "And with that I conclude our first ever CIC meeting. I'll set up our next meeting once I have more information on our mysterious attacker. Club Dismissed." She slammed her imaginary gavel on the table earning a weird look from her friends. "Sorry. I've always wanted to do that."

"Well I'd say you nailed it, Vice-President Twilight." Sunset cooed. "I'll be sure to leave all the reports to you later on."

They shared a quick laugh forgetting their woes for a moment.

"Ahem. Now that we're done with all the serious talk. I'd like to discuss something far more pleasant and less stressful." Rarity opened up again with her head on her hand. "I believe you've all heard of the fashion performance in Canterlot Mall this weekend? Oh what am I saying? Of course you do."

The girls shared a look with one another clearly not even remotely aware that there was even going to be a show. But instead of denying it they just nod back and put in half-hearted replies.

"Well as you might also know is that dozens of designers from all over the city will be showing off their masterpieces at the catwalk. And you'll never guess who's taking the center stage attention."

"If it's not you then this is a terrible story!" Pinkie proclaimed.

And of course Rarity simply laughed it off. "Unfortunately it isn't me. But thank you for the encouragement Pinkie." The bubblegum girl simply smiled and returned to her food. "It's actually my boss, Ms. Prim Hemline. We will be showing off our Winter Collection, bedazzling the audience with all of our arts. She was also so impressed with some of my work these last few weeks that she decided to add me as her sideshow performance."

"Sideshow?" Rainbow noted. "Wait… are you talking about that animal show?"

"Precisely!" The fashionista announced. "I will get to design clothes for all manner of household pets. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds! Even… pigs too."

"Oh that's right." Fluttershy's face beamed. "I remember Ms. Cureall saying something about that. Apparently she's putting some of the animals there to raise awareness and hope that they'll get adopted too. I didn't know you'd be the one to put them all in dress-up." She shied away a tad bit. "I don't suppose you're looking for an assistant?"

"Consider yourself hired, darling. I was going to ask you anyway seeing as I'll be taking measurements out of all the animals in the shelter."

**(After school) (Football field)**

Flash let out a sigh as he slumped back to his seat watching the football team practice their plays. It was a boring event but at least they were quiet about it. To say that the boy was depressed would be an understatement right now. With his constant sighs, groaning and miserable posture people might think that he was just recently dumped. And sadly they wouldn't be far off the mark.

When Sunset asked him to stay out of the fight, he could do nothing but agree. It was hard to accept her condition but she had a point. The incident that happened last night was probably one of the most exciting moments of his life. For a second there he was at the top of the world believing that he was some kind of knight that vanquished a demon on his trusty steed not even realizing how close to death he was.

It was his dream to be a part of that world. To be a part of the magic that the girls have embroiled themselves in. And for a brief moment he actually felt like he was there.

And now he had willingly decided to leave it all behind and go back to the ordinary world. He wasn't gonna lie. It hurt. It hurt a lot. And it was taking everything he had just to keep himself sane.

The world just wasn't fair. If only he had magic. A way to control magic. He could fight by their side like those heroes he saw on TV. He'd love to shoot rainbow beams out of his hands, cause cake explosions. Heck he'll take talking with animals. He just wants to be with them.

He wants to help them.

Help them… in any way. Is that so wrong?

Why should the burden of the world fall on the shoulders of those girls? Why should they be the only ones who fight while everyone else stood on the sideline? Flash didn't want that. He didn't want to be just another viewer. Someone who just watched while those girls risk their necks in magical duels. There has to be something he could do. Something he could just…

"Well someone's feeling down in the dumps." The boy was interrupted from his train of thoughts when a voice chimed in, speaking to him. He looked to the side of the benches coming face to face with a familiar figure holding a mean looking grin. "I can smell your negative emotions for miles."

"Oh! Hey uh… umm… you…?" He got up only to stumble on her name.

"Adagio."

"Right right. Adagio. Sorry. I… didn't really catch it when we met." The boy patted himself looking somewhat embarrassed to be caught in such a position. "I'm…" He extended his hand forward, trying to smile it off.

"Flash Sentry. I know." She ignored his gesture allowing the hand to fall as she spoke. "Hard to forget after last night." The Siren gave out a smirk gesturing to the scar on his head.

"Oh this? This is nothing. Your friend got it way worse than this little bump." He paused. "Is she…?"

"She's fine. More or less." The girl shrugged. "A little weak on the legs but she'll get better eventually. Aria's looking out for her. None of us want to hang around the city after dark."

"And… what about you?" He asked. "Aren't you afraid of the monster?"

"Like I said: The monster only comes out after dark. It can't exactly go around while the sun is in the sky."

"Oh… right. That makes sense." He bobbed his head lowly. "Are you here to meet with Sunset? I think she's still inside."

"That's the idea." She gruffly added, darting her eye sideway. "Though I seriously doubt anyone would point me in the right direction if I asked."

Flash didn't really understand what she was trying to point out until he noticed some odd whispers coming from the area. He looked around and saw several students looking in their direction. Or… to be more precise, they were looking at Adagio. And he could probably guess why.

"I'm guessing the folks here are still bitter about the Battle of Bands."

He cringed. "Well… kinda. I mean you did try to hypnotize them all. That's not the kind of thing that people forget."

"And you?"

Flash blinked. "What about me?"

"You don't seem all that surprised to see me. Aren't you mad about being put under a spell."

"Ah… right." He rubbed the back of his head shyly. "Well I'm not really one to hold grudges. Besides, if I have to be honest, it wouldn't be the first time I got brainwashed by some power hungry girl who tried to take over the school for her own benefit." A certain redhead came to mind.

"Speaking from experience?" She cocked him a knowing grin.

"Partly. But that's all in the past now." He added quickly. "You can start off fresh just like Sunset."

"Oh please." Adagio scoffed raising her hand up to his face. "Don't insult me. Not in a million years would I want to mingle with your kind or be seen as some goody two shoes. We're perfectly content where we are."

"Really? Sounds kind of… lonely."

"We're creatures that thrive off the negative emotions of others. Making friends isn't exactly our forte."

"Point taken. But still…" He smiled warmly at her. "It never hurts to try new things." His eyes then cast over to the school where he noted the magic girls coming out in pairs. "Hey, there's Sunset. You should probably get to her before she gets on the school bus."

Adagio eyed them from afar sighing. She really didn't want to talk to those girls. But then she noted that the boy who directed her wasn't following. "Aren't you coming?"

"Me? No. I'm… I'm not part of the group."

"Why not?" She raised a brow, curious. "After what I saw last night I figured you were much a part of this as any."

"Heh… well I'm glad someone thinks so."

"Don't tell me you're afraid after what happened."

"No! Of course not." That was far from it. "It's just that… I promised not to get involved anymore."

"And why is that?"

"Because… I don't have magic."

Adagio's face frowned deeply. "And your point being?"

He sighed. She definitely wasn't going to drop this. "Sunset doesn't want me helping."

She followed his gaze to the girl in question and immediately put two and two together. "Oh I see." A mean grin showed itself on her lips. "Big red over there doesn't want her precious little human pet getting hurt. After she saw you get a little boo-boo, she must've freaked out like an overprotective mother."

"That's not… how I would've phrased it but… yeah."

"And like a puppy you obeyed without question."

"I'm not really…"

"Let me give you a piece of advice, boy." Adagio laughed evilly as she snaked her hands around the boy's face cupping his cheeks meeting little to no resistance. She then took him by the collar, gripping it tightly, her eyes brimming with anger. "Never… Ever… Let anyone dictate what you can or cannot do in this world. Why do you care what she thinks and what she wants? Does she knows what's best for you? You think she's little Ms. Perfect and you should obey every word she has on a whim? You are your own person. Be a man and grow some self-respect."

"Gah! Ow! Hey! What are you doi…?"

"You wanna stay on the sidelines forever? Are you going to just sit there and let people walk over you? Are you just gonna stand by while those girls put themselves in harm's way?"

"What? No! Of course not."

"Then what is it you want?"

"I want to help!" He blurted as she pulled him closer with their nose just barely touching.

"And you think you can keep doing this without getting hurt?" Adagio breathed out shoving the boy down to the ground. "In the world of magic, you can't afford to be soft. What if your friends over there get attack right now? What if one of them gets injured because you refuse to lift a finger? Is that what you want?"

No… that'll never happen. Not while he was around.

"**_Never_**." The boy rose up, pangs of anger and rage suddenly flaring from the pit of his stomach. His hands balled into fists while his nostrils flared like a bull ready to go on a rampage.

Adagio didn't even flinch at his expression, instead cocking her head down to meet his anger with a satisfying grin. She looked pleased.

"Well now. I guess you can be a man after all." She said smugly which somehow deflated the boy's wrath. "Don't let a little pain stop you from doing what you want. Because I… never do." She added menacingly as she held out a familiar cellphone.

Flash looked and his eyes widened in realization. He patted his jacket noting a bulge missing from one of his pocket. "How did you…?"

She ignored his question and dialed a number before tossing it back. "Here's my number."

Huh?

The boy tilted his head, confused.

Adagio added brushing her hair with an expression that looked like a mixture of equal part shyness and irritation. "For your car and… your guitar and that bowl thing. They looked pretty expensive and… you did technically save my friend. And I don't like owing others. So if you need anything, give me a call." She turned around and walked away leaving a very confused boy behind. "Oh and one more thing." The boy looked up at her. "Thanks… for last night. I wouldn't be here without you."

And just like that she was gone.

Flash wasn't really sure what just happened. There were so many mixed signals in their interaction that he hardly remember them all. One moment she was all wise, sassy, then she was angry and then she was shy and solemn? Are all women this confusing or just the ones he know? He wasn't sure anymore – and even less so when he looked down at his phone seeing a number printed on screen. Why did she add herself into his favorite contacts?

And… why in the world did she put a heart emoji on her name?


	10. A Helping Hand

**Chapter 10: A Helping Hand**

**(Wednesday) (Evening) (Canterlot Mall)**

It was all hands on deck at the fashion boutique. Ever since the announcement of the Fashion Performance that was to be held at the mall this weekend, the fashion boutique had be swamped with never ending work. Rarity unfortunately was part of that crew.

Ms. Hemline had been waiting for an opportunity to get herself back into the spotlight and this event was her golden ticket. She had been on a warpath ever since word came that she would be heading this show. That kind of pressure could only mean that she would be extra prickly and will tolerate no errors whatsoever. She was even threatening to fire the first person to screw up. And that alone was a scary thing. Thankfully Rarity didn't need to worry about getting laid off. Because she was to be Ms. Hemline's extra. Her sidekick in the grand performance.

Sure it was only designing clothes for animals, as much as she wanted to put her artwork on people, but it was still exposure. Simply being on the Fashion Performance alone meant her picture in the newspaper, her face on TV, people cooing over her name. It wasn't going to be on bright neon signs or billboards, but she had to start somewhere.

"No no no! That's all wrong!" Ms. Hemline scolded one of her co-workers who looked like he was going to cry. "The frills go into the skirt, not outside! And these cuffs are too centered! Spread them out evenly! Do it again! And you…!" She directed her attention to another. "That hat is all over the place. Find a matching color now or you're fired! And you!" A third one came, her body shrinking to the size of an amoeba as the boss stepped forward. "More glitter! And you…!"

Rarity froze. Was it her turn now? Oh god. She wasn't ready. What kind of destructive criticism would she have for her designs? What sassy remark would she make that would rip the creativity off her soul?

"Hmm…" Prim Hemline looked down to her work, like a god of fashion preparing to deliver judgment whether she was worthy or not. "Rarity…"

"Y… yes ma'am?"

"Keep it up. I expect nothing but your best this weekend, understood?"

Her face beamed. It wasn't a compliment or praise but it wasn't degrading either. "Yes! Of course Ms. Hemline. And I must say that I am honored that you've chosen me to work by your side as…"

"Quiet." She ordered which the girl obeyed. "Let us do our work in silence. YOU! Stop that at once! That scarf does not go with the puffs! I asked for fluffiness no mediocrity."

Phew… dodged a bullet there.

Better get back to work. The night is still young and there are still plenty of frills to iron out. You can't afford to be sloppy now Rarity. Not when a major opportunity has shown itself. You must pull out all the stops. Redouble your efforts!

"Wow Rarity. Are all these for the show?" A familiar voice caught her ears. She turned to the source finding the owner handling one of her dog dresses. "Feels almost too gaudy."

She smirked back at him. "Darling. That's entirely the point. But I suppose you of all people would know about fancy and gaudy, Flash."

The blue haired boy chuckled. "Yeah well… fancy parties aren't really my thing. I'm more of a simple… music kind of guy. But honestly though. Add a few more frills on these things and the animals will look even better than me. And… I'm not really sure if I should be amazed… or jealous."

"Oh please be jealous. I love it when people are jealous. Especially when it's about me." Rarity gave him a wink which they laughed at. "Are you here to pick up another suit? Don't tell me you've worn out the Gallopers' already."

"What? No. Can't a guy just come and visit his favorite fashionista?"

"Right~~. And how many fashion designers do you know, exactly?"

He blinked. "That's… not important. What's important is that you're my favorite and you're definitely gonna kill the competition with these designs."

"My part of the performance is a show, my dear. Ms. Hemline and the other designers will be competing." She corrected. "But you're not wrong either. I did put some extra effort into these fabrics. Please. By all means, continue praising me. I could use the stroke of ego."

"Heh. Sure. Oh wow." His eyes darted to the next rack where a bunch of suits and dresses were lined up. "Are these part of the Winter Collection? They look awesome."

"Why thank you dear. Those are my work actually."

"Yours? All of these?"

"Why of course. Just because I'm assigned to make clothes for animals doesn't mean I can't sneak one or two of my own designs up there. Someone needs to usher the animals in. I don't suppose I could ask you to volunteer as a model." She gave him a playful wink. "A man with your… ahem… raw physique would make a fine specimen on the catwalk. I can have you strutting there as a pirate with a parrot on your shoulder. Oh! Or maybe an action hero with his faithful canine companion? Or perhaps you'd want to go for Private-Eye with a cat? I'm sure Opal would be more than happy to accommodate you."

"No thanks." He brushed it off with a laugh. "I'm more of a… performer than a model. I'd let my music speak for me."

"Aww… how moot. You sure I can't persuade you?" She fluttered her eyes at him but still he resisted.

"Maybe next time." The boy laughed. "I see you're almost done."

"Almost. I'm just waiting for Fluttershy and her measurements. I can't exactly add the final touches without those. And she's not answering any of my calls."

"Rarity!" Ah crud. Not now. Is it her turn again? Seriously. Can't one of these guys keep her occupied for more than a minute? "What did we say about… OH!" Ms. Hemline pressed the pause button on her wrath when she noted the boy again. A sense of déjà vu warped over Rarity. "Flash Sentry. Visiting my shop again? Are you here to place an order?"

The boy flashed a smile. "Actually my dad sent me. He said that the stuff you ordered from Yakyakistan will be coming tonight."

The woman's face practically brightened at the mention of it. "Marvelous! I was wondering when it would get here. Our time is cutting short. The centerpiece of my Winter Collection will be magnificent. I'll have my team ready for them! Oh but you didn't have to come all the way here to tell me that. You could've just as easily called."

"We did… but you weren't answering so here I am."

"Is that so?" Her eyes menacingly darted to a fellow worker who froze at her stare. No doubt she was responsible for those missed calls. "Well either way, pass my thanks to your father. Tell him that he is a true patron of the arts."

"I will." The lady then darted off to the back where she had a word to say to the phone handler. Rarity felt bad for her but… better that girl than her.

"Your father is quite generous." Rarity mentioned as she returned to her work. "Handling supplies like this can be costly. You have no idea how many rolls of layers of clothes we go through every day. And even more during special events."

"I wouldn't really call it generous. More like… an investment." Flash corrected. "He is the one sponsoring this event after all."

Rarity froze a second time. "He is!? Then does that mean he'll be…?"

"A judge in the panel? You bet. He practically bragged about it."

"Ooooh~~ how exciting. What I wouldn't give to have my designs be judged and humiliated in front of all those carefully calculated eyes." She hid a groan in her voice. "Now if only Fluttershy would hurry with those measurements. Ms. Hemline wasn't kidding when she said that we're cutting short on time. I really need to finish these before the weekends. Aha!" She turned to the door noting her friend coming in short on breath. "And speak of the devil. It's about time darling. Whatever took you so long?"

"Sorry Rarity." Fluttershy responded between pants. "It's just that… we had a little situation… at the pet store."

A situation? That didn't sound good.

"A situation?" The fashionista dreaded. "Is everything ok? You'll still have the animals ready for the performance, right? We can't have an animal fashion show without animals."

"Oh… yes we will." That's a relief. "But… only about four of them."

"FOUR!?" Rarity screamed. "What do you mean four?"

"2 cats, 1 dog and 1 parrot to be exact."

"But… but why!? Ms. Cureall promised me at least 30! I already have the layout for the whole performance dear! What on earth happened!?"

"Well it's a long story." The soft spoken girl shyly replied. "Apparently someone brought in the old stock of animal feeds to the store and gave them to all the animals. And apparently it gave them bad stomachs. Ms. Cureall has her hands full taking care of them. The only ones she can spare are the ones I took out for a stroll earlier."

…

"And?"

Fluttershy startled. "Oh um… that's pretty much it. I guess it wasn't such a long story. I'm sorry."

Rarity breathed in, letting her inner peace rule. "Fluttershy… dear." She cooed softly, gripping her friend's shoulder tightly before her face twisted in restrained pain. "Let me explain this to you slowly and clearly: This is going to be a live performance set here in the mall. I know that my role in it is not a grandeur as Ms. Hemline but it is still a prime exposure! Thousands of people will be here on the WEEKENDS. There will reporters, live audiences, journalists and even 20 minutes of spotlight on TV! Opportunities like this do no happen every DAY! So I am going to ask nicely that we… I… need more than just four MEASLY ANIMALS!" She shook her back and forth frantically.

"Uh… Rarity. You're scaring me." She wasn't the only one. Flash was kind of taken back by her panicked scream.

"I'm sorry dear but you know that this is very important to me! Can't you call in a favor in the animal shelter or something?"

"I think the animals there aren't the types you'd keep at home."

"But… but…!"

"Rarity?" Ms. Hemline spoke up from the store. "Is there a problem?"

She quickly forced a smile. "No! Not at all Ms. Hemline. Just a little miscommunication. That's all. Easily rectified. Ahehe…" The woman eyed them suspiciously when Rarity pushed the animal lover out with Flash following not far behind. "If that's the case then… I don't suppose we can ask your 'other' animal friends to participate?"

What she clearly meant was those friends of hers who live in the wild.

"Oh! No. No no no no…" Fluttershy quickly denied. "Well… normally I can but I'll need my powers to do that and Sunset told us not to use our magic unless it is an absolute emergency.

"But…" Rarity tried to force the words out but clearly couldn't find a sound argument. There was no way she would risk a friend's life for some pageant show. "Can't you think of anything? Anything at all, darling? I'll take anything at this point. A squid, a giant bear, even swine from Applejack's farm!"

"I'm sorry Rarity. I wish I could help. Really I do. But I'm going to have my own hands full helping Ms. Cureall. I really hope you'd understand."

"And I do darling. I really do. It's just that this show is…" She turned to her design collection and sighed. "I suppose I'll just have to make do with those four. You wouldn't happen to have their measurements, would you?" The girl produced a small paper from her pocket which Rarity accepted with a sigh. "I guess my sideshow will be cut short… like my career."

The two of them watched as the fashionista returned to the boutique, dejected and heartbroken. Whatever happens, the show must go on. Even with the roster being cut down.

"That's… not exactly how I pictured that conversation to go." Flash added once Rarity was out of sight. The girl was so bubbly and smiling like she was at the top of the world for one moment and then boom… she hit rock bottom the next second. "Are things really that bad at the shop?"

Fluttershy looked down depressingly. "I'm afraid so. With all the animals sick from the bad food, I'm afraid they're in no condition to even walk. At least for a few days. Though…" She darted to her friend by the window display. "… I really wish I could help out in some way. Maybe I can use some of my powers to get some of the animals in the woods to help out just for a bit."

"Whoa now. Let's not be too hasty." The boy raised his hand up in protest. "Remember what Adagio said? The last thing we want is for the shadow monster to show itself during the pageant."

"I… suppose so. But I really want to help Rarity out and… I don't know if we can just borrow animals from the other stores or the shelter."

No. They can't just go to other stores. That kind of arrangement takes days or weeks. But… that also gave Flash a 'flash' of inspiration. Something he was good at.

"Actually. There is another way." He put one hand over his chin as he gave the idea a thought. "But I'm gonna need a little help from you, Fluttershy."

"Of course!" The girl readily agreed. "Anything for Rarity. I won't leave her in the dust like this."

"Good." He nodded, holding out his phone. "Can you give me your contacts?" He leaned in to whisper. "Listen. Here's the plan."

**(Twilight's home)**

"Hmmm… odd." Twilight stated to herself as she pondered over her equipment like a scientist on the verge of a breakthrough. She tinkered with the dials here, flipping a switch there and turning a knob or two to get a better reading.

In front of her stood a holographic view of Canterlot. Over the last Summer Break she had spent a good amount of time putting up tracker gizmos on top of vantage points across the city which in turn gave her a clear view of everything. It was kind of like having your own personal surveillance network but less intrusive on people's privacy.

From her computer and scanner she could detect any manner of magic anywhere in the city giving her a god's eye view over the realm. Some might even say that it's a dangerous power to have but she would disregard that notion so long as your purpose is purely scientific.

"Hmmm… very odd indeed."

"Twilight, are you ok?" Her pet dog asked. "You've been looking at that screen for hours now. It's already way passed dinner."

"Sorry Spike. It's just that these readings are really strange." She explained to him, not taking a moment off the holographic map. "The more I look into this new strange magic source, the more questions it raises. I tried comparing it with our own magic and they're surprisingly compatible. Looks like Sunset's explanation was spot on. Magic is simply an ingredient and we're the cooking tools."

Spike rolled his eyes at her. "You do know that you're talking to a dog, right? None of what you said just now, made any sense to me."

She smiled at him. "I'm just thinking out loud Spike. Here." She reached out for the dog treats and poured a good portion on his bowl. The dog eagerly dug in, forgetting the earlier statement. "I just wished I could get a good look on the Chalice of Wishes. It's said that if you drink a special brew from it, you'll be granted anything you desire."

"Like a giant dog bone!?" Spike imagined it dreaming of licking a giant marrow for hours. "Oh sweet heaven."

Twilight eyed at the mutt sweetly. "I was thinking of something way bigger, Spike. Imagine what humanity could do with that kind of power. The technology that can come out of it. If we can harness it to our benefit we'll be the pioneers who will advance mankind to the next age! We might even go to space and conquer the stars! Haha! They'll be putting my face on the history books for sure!"

"Meh… no bone, no interest."

"Spike!" Twilight scolded to which the dog ignored and returned to his treats. She would've lectured him further had her phone not interrupted. She smiled at the caller's name and grinned, reciting a line that she had been practicing. "Hello there. C.I.C Vice-President Twilight Sparkle speaking. How may I be of assistance?"

Even though she couldn't see her, Twilight could tell that the girl on the other line was rolling her eyes at the somewhat professional introduction. It was very… secretary-like. "You're really taking this new position of yours really seriously, aren't you?"

"We're an official Club now. We don't only have to act professional, but BE professional." She reasoned. "What's up?"

Sunset chuckled. "Nothing much. Just finished my homework and thought I'd check in on you if you got anything to update me on our first investigation. Anything I should know?"

"Other than what we know now? No." She replied dejectedly. "I've managed to triangulate the strange magic source. I can see clearly the ones coming from the artifacts. They're all clustered together in one house over at Uptown. If my guess is correct, which it usually is, that must where Flash is staying."

"Flash lives in Uptown?" Sunset returned, mildly amazed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore after everything I've seen these last few days."

"Yeah. Big surprise. But the stranger part is, other than the ones there, I don't see the wolf anywhere. I've been keeping watch since last night and still nothing. It's like it… vanished."

"But that's a good thing, right? Maybe it's gone for good. Maybe Flash and the Dazzlings really did destroy it."

"Yeah but you have to remember that it's a familiar. It's an extension of a person. There has to be someone controlling it. I could just be that it went out of town. My sensors don't cover other than the outskirts of the city."

"Well you said that all the strange magic are in Flash's place right?" Sunset suggested which she turned and listened. "If someone was to use that magic they'd have to have one of those objects to summon the monster. When it was in the museum, anyone who works there could touch it. Like Maud. But now that it's safely inside his house…"

"No one could tap into the magic!" Twilight smacked her head in realization. "Of course! That makes perfect sense. Why didn't I think of that?" She grinned. "Excellent deduction, President Shimmer."

"Well I couldn't have you do all the hard work." The lady on the other line smugly added. "Speaking of magic. I don't suppose you've been tracking our friends too."

"Of course not." Twilight gasped feigning hurt. "I would never use my technology to intrude on the privacy of others. It's just so…"

"Twilight…"

"Ok fine. But I only see them on my scanner because they use it. Especially someone who promised not to use them unless it's an emergency."

"Rainbow Dash?"

"Rainbow Dash." Of course it'd be Rainbow Dash. Who else would it be?

Sunset groaned softly. "Well the sun's still out so I'll let it slide. But if she keeps this up, I'm calling her. I'm surprised our geodes aren't being overcharged with the way she's been using them."

"She's been careful. But not careful enough. How are the Dazzlings by the way?" Twilight changed the subject. "Adagio was pretty rigid when we talked the other day."

"Well they were attacked by the giant wolf monster and one of her friends almost literally turned into dust. I'd be angry too if any of you were hurt because of this. But I am going to keep one eye out for her just in case."

"You think she's involved?"

"No. Not involved with these attacks. I'm just worried she might try something that might get her in trouble." Sunset stated. "Speaking of Adagio. How is Flash's Arts and Craft project coming along? Is it still broken?"

Ah… right… the bowl. Twilight turned towards the said object which stood marginally repaired on her worktable.

"About… 8% done." She reported back wearily. "I'm going through the pieces as fast as I can but this thing is just about as broken as broken can be even before Adagio smashed it pieces. Even with my powers there's no telling how long it might take. It's kind of like assembling a thousand piece puzzle with no corners."

"You sure you don't want me to take it off your hands?" Sunset offered. "You seemed pretty swamped with everything that's been happening."

"No it's fine. Besides – I was the one who asked him to bring it. It's my responsibility."

"Well… if you're sure. In the mean time I'll do some digging at the Natural History Museum. I think we can narrow down our list of suspects if I can find out who had access to the artifacts before they were put away." Sunset tipped her head down in thought. "I'll start with Maud seeing as she works there. If we're lucky we'll find out who's responsible for all these attacks and put an end to it once and for all."

"Alright. But remember Sunset. Play it safe."

"Oh please. This is me you're talking to. When do I never play it safe?"

…

…

…

"Twilight? Are you there?"

"Oh I'm still here. I was just thinking of a good comeback just now but my brain must've overloaded from all the jokes. Mwahahahaha!"

Sunset hung up.

**(Sweet Snacks Café)**

Wham bam thank you ma'am! Another 5 star rating on Screech! That's another 12 user scores added to the list. Not a new record but meh.

Pinky let out a battle cry as she saw the scoreboard on the website, eyes shimmering like the stars themselves. It was another ten minutes till her shift was over but she wasn't gonna slack off just yet. The dinner rush was long gone but that didn't mean the diner wasn't busy. With all the late night workers and a few coming for a midnight snack, you can find this place practically brimming with folks from all over Canterlot.

As she skated back to the counter she realized that there were no more orders to deliver meaning she and her co-workers can take it easy for the next few minutes.

"Good job as always, Pinkie." Doo Wop, her co-worker gave her a thumbs up as she put down an ice cream plate with five scoops on top. "Your usual. On the house."

"Thanks. I really needed a recharge." It was amazing how someone like Pinkie, who won the Brain Freeze Challenge last week could still stomach the stuff. "Another busy night?"

"Not really." The waitress shrugged. "With the Winter Holidays coming in and the weather outside getting colder I doubt there'll be a lot of people coming this far just for a bite. I might have to take a second job if they're gonna take out the late night shift. But we are making a winter themed menu later on and everyone needs to come up with a new recipe."

"Pfft. Oh please. That's easy. Have you met me?" Pinkie challenged. "I can make that menu with one hand tied behind my back. Cheese soufflé with multi-colored sprinkles, Christmas cupcakes with reindeer horns made out of chocolate, super-special holiday coffee!"

Doo Wop raised a brow. "And how is coffee… special?"

"Easy! We just add warm breadsticks on the sides and marshmallow. We'll make it colorful and decorative! It'll look so good that people will feel guilty just eating it!"

The waitress unconsciously reached for her notepad, writing down the ideas as they came. "Huh… you're right. That was easy. I'll pass these down to the manager. You just made some awesome recipes for all of us."

"Oh pa-lease." Pinkie rubbed her hands together smiling menacingly. "I haven't even gotten started yet. Wait till you hear what I have for deserts."

But they were interrupted when Sunny Sugarsocks came up. "Eyes up ladies. Looks like the newlyweds just arrived." She pointed to the door where a happy looking couple strolled in, arms locked together with giant rocks in their fingers. The trio recognized them instantly. They were regulars here at the diner before the pair got hitched a year back. It was a really romantic story for the diner. "You two want your usuals?"

They nodded back choppily before taking a table for themselves.

"Two burger sets! Coming right up!" The chef shouted from the kitchen already working on the meals.

Doo Wop chuckled, eyeing the couple from afar. "Aww… look at those two. Hard to imagine that they used to come here regularly alone. Now they're like two peas in a pot. I tell ya, love makes everything better."

Pinkie nodded happily in agreement. "Like frosting on ice cream."

"Haa~ I wish I could feel the same as they do. What about you Pinkie? What do you think?"

"About frosting?"

"No silly. About love." Her co-worker corrected. "Don't you have a special someone out there that you wished you could be with? Holding hands, going on dates or spend a lovely romantic evening just losing yourself looking into each other's eyes?"

Pinkine laughed. "Nah. I'm spending the holidays with my folks. I don't have anyone spe…"

_"It's nice to see the other side of Pinkie Pie. You're really cute, you know that."_

Her brain suddenly froze as her cheeks turned red when the memory of that fateful night replayed in her head. It came so suddenly that she didn't have any defense to hide it which was caught in full view of her friends.

"Oh!" Sunny's eyes lit up like a hundred Christmas trees. "You do!"

Pinkie scrambled. "Wh… what? No! No I don't!"

"But she does. She absolutely does!" Doo Wop squealed, her smile widening from ear to ear. "Who is it? Spill girl! Is it someone we know?"

"Does he come to this diner?"

"Is it that guy who makes those cheesy jokes?"

"Or that guy who makes houses out of waffles?"

"Girls. Relax." Pinkie calmed them down. "It's nothing like that. We only had one date and it wasn't really…"

"A date!? Oh now we have to hear this!"

Ding!

"Order up!"

"Oh look. Order's here."

"Sunny!"

"I'm on it!" The co-worker hastily grabbed the burgers and settled them on the couple with complimentary drinks before immediately coming back like a speeding bullet. "Now where were we? Oh right. So who is it?"

But Pinkie was stubborn and quickly fought the blush away, rolling on her skates. "Sorry girls. But these lips are sealed. And no, you'll never guess who. It's not like he visits this place every day."

You know the problem when you try to challenge the universe?

"Hey Pinkie."

… it sometimes answers that challenge.

"GAHH! Flash!?" The bubblegum girl fumbled on her balance losing her footing on her skates. "Wh… whoa!"

The blue haired boy reached out and grab her by the arm. "Easy there. I gotcha." He held that warm smile over which got her blushing. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine." But she quickly got back to her state of mind and pulled herself back. Her whole brain scrambled over, confused and puzzled on his sudden appearance. "No! Better question: What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What are you doing here!? How are you here!? Why are you here, now of all times!?"

Flash looked back, also equally puzzled though for an entirely different reason. "Well… actually I came here for you."

Me!?

"Meuey!?" She fumbled on her words, quickly reaching for one of the trays and using it as a shield. Her heart rate went up while her face turned redder than one of Applejack's family apples. "R… really!?" She failed to notice her co-workers grinning madly behind her back tossing knowing winks at each other. "Wha wha wha wha wha… why?"

"I was wondering if we could talk about… some stuff." Stuff? STUFF!? What kind of stuff!? Out with it man!? "Is this a bad time?"

Yes!

"N… no?" Pinkie blinked then slapped herself when she realized what her mouth just said. "I mean yes! I'm uh… kind of on shift right now and we're all super busy so…"

"Actually your shift ended two minutes ago." Doo Wop stated gesturing to the clock above the counter.

"So…"

"Please come in." Sunny Sugarsocks quickly skated to their side and scooted them into the diner, her voice and expression practically oozing with suggestions. Pinkie threw her a mean yet surprisingly adorable glare. "It's always nice to meet one of Pinkie's friends. Here, have the corner booth. Get yourself settled in and I'll be back to get your order."

Oh god.

Pinkie was getting a sense of déjà vu. It was the Huffs and Hooves all over again. The special treatment, the stares from the other patrons, the over-politeness of the waitresses! This was practically a repeat of that night except they were in a diner and not some super fancy restaurant!

"Your friends seem nice." Flash mentioned while Pinkie buried herself in her hat.

Yeah, she couldn't agree more. They were really nice. So nice that she just wanted to throw an explosive cupcake at them.


	11. A Peak at the Mask

**Chapter 11: A Peak at the Mask**

**(Thursday) (Evening) (Natural History Museum)**

The Natural History Museum looked a lot less gaudy when Sunset returned to it. After the fundraising party last week it almost looked… kind of normal. Gone were the large tapestries and fancy decors. Gone were the huge banners and white sheet tables. No more tribal outfits or wall carvings. Just the simplistic design of rocks and skeletal remains of prehistoric creatures that were most likely extinct by now. The museum was back to the way it was and strangely enough Sunset was happy to see it that way.

"Thanks again for helping me with the investigation Maud." She spoke to the stoic girl who led her through the museum. "I never would've been able to get through this place without you."

"It's the least I can do after you and Flash helped me during the fundraiser." Maud nodded happily… or at least she believed she was happy. "I'm not all that interested in these Yaztec stuff but I can point you in the right direction."

"Hey, no investigation is ever easy. We all have to start somewhere." They sat down by the information booth where it was practically empty at this point. Most of the staff seemed busy re-renovating the place to pay them any attention. "Now I know that this is a long-shot in the dark but you wouldn't happen to know who had access to the artifacts that we looked through."

"You mean the statue, dagger, bowl and the Chalice of Wishes?"

"Yeah… those."

"Only the staff in the archive department and the curator are allowed to handle all items on display."

"Uh huh… and how many would that be?"

"If you include the curator, it'll be about 12 to 15 people." Just about a dozen!? Wow that was a lot better than what she'd hope. For a moment there she thought she'd had to go through hundreds of staff members. I must be better with this investigation stuff than I thought.

"That's great! I don't suppose you have their names?"

"No." She said deadpanned. Sunset was hoping for too much. "But if you must know that the archivists that dealt with the Yaztec exhibition are not part of the museum's staff."

"They're not?"

"No. The museum has its own team of handlers. But this group was specifically hired by the donor to handle the items. It was part of the deal with the collector."

"So they work for…?"

"Professor Sombra."

Ok that was definitely unsettling. Even Sunset could feel her hair tingling at the mere mention of that name. It was like someone speaking a taboo word. She really didn't want to judge a man just because of his counterpart on her world but she can't shake this feeling that he was somehow involved. When she first saw him that night she could tell there was something dangerously suspicious about him. There was just something about that man that rubbed her the wrong way and it definitely wasn't because of his flowing hair.

"They're actually still here." Maud continued which somehow surprised Sunset.

"They are?"

"They're supervising the design of the new wing of the museum. I can take you to them if you want."

Sunset blinked. "That would… actually be very helpful. Yes! Thanks." Getting to see her suspects up close might actually give her a better vantage.

She hastily followed Maud deeper into the museum pass the yellow restricted line at the far end where much of the construction was taking place. A rough guess would say that this was where the new wing of the museum would be.

xxxxxxxxxx

Sunset expected it to be like the rest of the museum. A simple design with much of the same etched to save on money. But much to her surprise she was wrong… in all the weirdest reasons.

The moment she walked into that place Sunset knew that something sinister was going on.

For one thing, this whole new wing looked like a complete extension of the museum itself. The whole architectural culture turned a complete 180. While the rest of the museum displayed everything in perfect synch and order, this place looked like some kind of ritual ground. Several hallways that lead to dead-ends, each connected to a massive central hall where a platform was being constructed, possibly where the Chalice of Wishes was to be put on for all to see.

Strangely enough there were no windows bar the one directly above the platform and another pointing at the west side of the building. At the right time of day you might even see the sun and moon floating on each of them, casting their rays down in all their glory.

Any visitor would find this place intriguing if not frightening. Heck, even though it was still incomplete you can tell that something unsettling was happening behind these walls.

The hair on her back stood up at attention. It was like every cell in her body was telling her to just turn around and get out of there while she still could.

"Intriguing. Isn't it?"

She forced a dry laugh. "That's… certainly one way of describing it."

Though frightening, terrifying and haunting would be more appropriate.

"Over there." Maud pointed to a small crowd of people who were handling a large cave wall carving at the wall of the halls. "Those are the archivists."

Excellent. Her suspects were all there lined up neatly together. This was going to be easy. If she could just read their minds, she'll be able to find the perpetrator and find out their plans.

"No no no!" An overbearing voice shouted from within the crowd startling the big men. "I told you a hundred times. The 10th century artifacts goes to the rear. Only 12th to 14th century relics are allowed to be put on display at the central area. And that one goes a little to the right."

"What the…?" Sunset tilted her head feeling a strange sense of familiarity in that voice. She turned over the voice finding an old lady who barked out orders to the rest of the crew like some matriarch. "Who is that?"

"That's the Head Archivist." Maud answered plain as day. "She was personally hired by the donor to oversee the whole project. Why?"

"I don't know. Something about her just feels… familiar. I feel like I've seen her somewhere before." But then the darkness cleared as the light shone itself upon the woman in question revealing her identity for all. Sunset's eyes widened like saucers as she immediately recognized the old hag in the business suit. "Wait a minute. Is that… is that…"

Principal Cinch!?

**(School library)**

Ah… the school library. The fountain of knowledge itself, the center of the universe where logic and reason gather together to dispel the might of ignorance and mysticism. A place where history and culture diverge in all its pages, where wisdom was the product.

There was no place in all of CHS that Twilight didn't enjoy more than this sanctuary of books and knowledge. If she had her way, she probably would've lived here forever. And it's not like she'll ever be bored. With new versions of books coming each year she could probably spend eternity cross-referencing everything. If only her frail mortal shell wasn't in the way. She would spend every hour of every day shifting through pages. But alas, this human body required nourishment and it needed rest for at least 7 hours. 7 hours of idleness was simply time that could be used to gather even more knowledge!

Ugh… why in the world did Ms. Cheerilee only give them two assignments today? How can she hope to test the intellectual capabilities of her students if she doesn't push them hard enough?

A 20 page essay? Pfft, she can do that in her sleep.

Reading one chapter ahead in a book? HA! Please. Have you met me? She already read through that book three times over and probably advance versions of that book before it was even published!

Equations and questions relating to the topic they studied on? Woman! That wasn't homework, that's Thursday!

Seriously, she needed some extra credit on her extra credit.

Her train of thoughts was interrupted when her phone buzzed on the table. She kept it silent of course, knowing the basic rule of the library. Her face perked up when she saw the name on screen. She tried to answer but quickly fumbled on her wounded hand. She completely forgot about that.

"Hey Timber."

"Hey, how's my favorite nerd doing?" The boy spoke chirpily as ever. "Haven't heard from you all week. Not since our date."

"Yeah. Sorry about that. It's just that I've been so busy lately with uh… school stuff. Not to mention that I'm also in a new club."

"You got into another club? Again?" He sounded irritated. "Aren't you in like three of them already?"

"Four actually, now including this one." It's not like it was a competition. Just the book club, science club and robotics club. Nothing to fret over. "I'm now Vice-President of the Canterlot Magic Investigations Club. Secret name still patent pending."

"That sounds like a kind of club that comes from the Bone Chiller trilogy." He chuckled softly. "Don't tell me you guys go around the city looking for trouble."

"Magical trouble to be precise." She stated out too proudly. "It might sound like a cliché thing to do but the pros totally outweighs the namesake. But enough about me. What are you doing?"

"Well if you're interested, I am happy to announce that Camp Everfree has completed its renovations. We will be officially open next week."

"Really!? That's great!" Twilight huddled when she realized her voice went a few decimals too high. "I mean… that's wonderful."

"Yeah. The last construction team is putting on the final touches right now. It is awesome. You should definitely come and see it. With our new and improved obstacle course, boat rides and cabins, this place is looking mighty Spruce. Heh… get it?" She did and she gave him an obligatory laugh in response. "Anyway, we got a lot of applications too."

"Wait…" Twilight realized something. "It's the Winter Holidays. Do people go camping in the snow?"

"Absolutely! You'd be surprised how many folks like to experience the cold wilderness." He answered back, giving an example. "Cooking marshmallow over the fireplace with a hot cup of chocolate on your side, watching the snow outside the window as it covers the whole camp, skating at the river, cozying up together keeping each other warm. Folks dig that kind of thing." She had to admit that it did sound appealing especially with those with an eye for a romantic setting. "Besides, the Winter Solstice will be coming soon and we're holding a big event here at the camp for that special day."

"The Winter Solstice? I read about that!" Twilight's eyes gleamed. "It's called the hiemal solstice or hibernal solstice. It happens twice a year when the planet tilts its maximum distance away from the sun."

"A+ for my girl." Timber laughed. "So… I was wondering if you'd like to spend some time here with me at the camp. It's been a while since we did something together. We can watch the sunset on that day. I can reserve one cabin just for us. It'll be super romantic, I promise."

Wow… that was kind of bold even for Timber. Perhaps after a year of dating finally got him to branch out of his comfort zone. He was never so aggressive in their relationship.

"That does sound romantic. I'll have to check in with my parents first but I don't think they'll say no to an educational trip."

"I can throw in a free skating lessons if you want."

"Deal!" She gleefully agreed. "I can't wait. It'll be a great opportunity to study the midwinter climate. It'll just be me and… Flash?"

"Flash?"

The boy in question appeared in front of her waving awkwardly. "Hi. Are you busy?" Kinda. Though she wouldn't say that out loud.

"I'll call you back Timber." She hung up not even waiting for a response as she turned to meet the boy. "Ah… hey Flash. Hi?"

"Hi?" He questioned back. "So…"

"If this is about the bowl thing, I swear I'm almost done with it." She answered quickly. Her words leaving her mouth faster than she could form them. "I know that I promised to fix it as fast as I can but I just need a little more time."

"Oh. No. That's not what I wanted to talk about." The blue haired rocker raised his hand up in decline smiling back softly. "I actually came here to ask for your help."

"Oh…" Her head bobbed. "About what?"

"Well it's kind of complicated and…" He looked around the room. "I also came to tell you that the library is closing."

Twilight shot up and quickly scanned the room finding out that they were the only occupants there.

"Oh…"

**(Natural History Museum)**

Principal Cinch…

… or as folks used to call: Abacus.

Sunset recognized her the moment she came into view. There was no way she could forget such a face. After what she tried to do at the Friendship Games, she was practically labeled as a villain to much of the student-body. Her abusive nature made Crystal Prep Academy a power horse in the city and would've hurt many people had she not been stopped dead on her tracks at CHS.

Ever since her resignation from the academy there had been little word of her activity if any at all. How she found her way to this place of all places was a mystery. And Sunset was gonna solve it.

But how could she approach her? The last time the two of them met, it didn't end on a happy note. And Cinch looked like the kind of person who would hold a grudge.

Maybe she'll just casually walk in? No. Too suspicious. Stroll by pretending to be a journalist? That could work. She is the editor of the school year book after all and a member of the photography club. That'll be a perfect excuse to be here.

"Ms. Cinch. Can I have a moment of your time?"

Eh?

Wait a second…

Maud!?

Cinch flicked her glasses up as she turned to them with a look that would've frightened grown men in their beds. She approached the two. Her every step she took was calculated, precise and downright bone chilling. Her very presence made workers and staffs alike part away like Moses splitting the Red Sea.

And when they finally came face to face, her eyes showed signs of recognition. There was no doubt that she remembered the redhead. Sunset even saw something akin to a snarl at the top of her lip but she held it back when she noted her companion.

"Ms. Pie." She greeted casually, hand tilting her glasses like a wolf trying to see her better just so she could lure her in with a sense of security.

"Hello." The elder Pie waved back so casually that you wouldn't think she was greeting the wicked witch of the north. "Long time no see ma'am."

"Yes. Quite." The woman replied sternly like she was just making a fact. "What is it do you want?"

Ok let's not be too hasty here. Let's circle around. A direct approach is never the way to…

"My friend and I were wondering if you we could ask you some questions regarding the Yaztec artifacts that are to be donated to this museum." What the heck Maud!?

"Oh?" Principal Ci… no… she guessed it's Ms. Cinch from here on. She raised a brow in a curious fold. "And what exactly do you wish to know about them? Their history, their lore? If you wish to know about the Yaztec in general, I can point you to the public library for reference."

Twilight already did that and she found next to nothing other than they were a bunch of warmongering folk who fought to their doom.

"We were actually wondering who had access to the relics when they were here at the museum."

You know what? Forget it. Maud was firing in all cylinders right now. May as well stick with it.

Again Ms. Cinch raised her brow up, curious. "And why in the world would you like to know that?"

"Just curious." That was a poor excuse Maud and you know it. "Sunset here believes that some of the artifacts contains some kind of magic and suspects that someone used it for some nefarious purpose."

…

…

…

Did she… did Maud throw her under the bus just now?

She did!

"Magic, you say?" Cinch's eyes sparkled dangerously at them. Something akin to a predator suddenly finding its prey in its most vulnerable time and would pounce at a moment's notice. "Well I'm no expert on that subject. Your friend on the other hand will probably know more about that than I, I'm afraid." Her gaze fell to Sunset who felt malice coiling on her very skin. "As to answer your previous question, the only ones who are allowed to handle those objects are myself, my team you see here and Professor Sombra himself. These relics have been exposed to the elements for some time making them fragile to the touch." Yeah, she knows. Adagio smashed one of them with a single stomp. "They must all be handled delicately."

"So no one else touched them?"

The former principal's gaze sharpened like daggers on their throats. But Maud didn't seem all that intimidated. "None. They are kept within their display cases at all times when we put them out during the fundraising event and returned to the vault at a room temperature before they were shipped back to Professor Sombra's estate in Uptown. I handled the transfer myself."

Well that narrows the list of suspects down to… well… you, you, you, you… and you. Mostly you.

"Anything else, Ms. Pie?"

Maud turned her head over to Sunset who shook back in reply. "No. That'll be all. Thank you."

Cinch was about to turn away when Sunset decided to speak up. "Uh… it's um… good to see you again, Ms. Cinch." She offered her hand up to which the old woman simply stared blankly at it.

"I wish I could say the same, Sunset Shimmer." And with those last words she returned to her team and her duties, barking out orders like nothing happened.

xxxxxxxxxx

Maud slowly led her back out of the creepy wing of the museum, which Sunset was more than happy to be.

"Why didn't you tell me Principal Cinch was working here?"

Maud shrugged. "Because it wouldn't really matter. But mostly because I wanted to see your reaction." If she had a sense of humor, she'd be laughing right now. "Hope that helps."

And surprisingly enough, she actually did help. While her direct method was a bit off-putting at first, she couldn't deny that it brought in great results.

"Well at least I know where to look now. There's no doubt Cinch is involved somehow."

"Really?" Maud shot her a surprising look – or at least something close to that expression. "That's fast. You sure you're not just jumping to a conclusion?"

"No. I'm very sure." Sunset nodded confidently. "Because she was brimming with it." She turned over to the entrance. "Brimming with the same magic as those artifacts. And she also didn't shake my hand."

"Maybe it's because she bears a deep rooted loathing for you and your friends for humiliating her in front of hundreds of people during the Friendship Games which subsequently led to her resignation from Crystal Prep Academy and has forced her to find an occupation in a field beneath her which also pays 3 times less than what she originally had."

…

Sunset blinked. Ok that was also a good reason…

"Or maybe she didn't want me to read her mind." It was a possible explanation, one that she was so sure of.

"You can read minds?" Maud asked, somewhat surprised.

"Huh? Uh… yeah. I can read people's minds when I touch them."

"Can you read my mind?" She quickly offered her hand up. "What am I thinking right now? Spare no details."

"Uh… maybe later." Sunset brushed her off. "I need to let my friends know. Thanks again for your help."

And with that, Sunset dashed off to the exit leaving with brand new information…

… completely unaware of the monster that somehow managed to sneak onto her shadow.

**(Canterlot High)**

"Wow Flash. That's… actually pretty cool of you." Twilight stated, her eyes broadened in amazement as they wrapped up their latest conversation. "I'm sure Rarity will be very happy."

"I hope so." He nodded. "So you think you can help out as well?"

"Of course I'll help! I'll give Rainbow Dash a call and set everything up by Saturday." She penned the topic on her notepad smiling. "She'll be thrilled, I just know it."

"Great. She worked really hard for this show and I'd hate to see her disappointed."

"Same here. By the way. How'd you know where to find me?"

Flash gave a knowing smirk. "What? The smartest girl in school with no plans for a Wednesday night? Where could she possibly hang out? Hmm?" He dodged a nudge from her as he cackled. "Besides, it wouldn't be the first time you passed out studying in the library. Ms. Cheerilee said that she found you sleeping under a mountain of books one time after school. Ha! She was so scared that almost called the ambulance."

"Ugh… don't remind me." That happened once and only once. "Shining Armor scolded me for hours and banned me from the public library for a whole week! He called Dusty Pages, the head librarian, of all people! I mean who does that!?"

"Heh… I guess even the smartest girl doesn't know her own limits." Another nudge and another miss.

"It's this frail human body!" She complained. "Why are we given such weak and fragile shell? If I didn't constantly need sustenance and sleep I would study all day long. What I wouldn't give to plant my human brain in a robot host – or better yet, a computer! I could surf the internet forever! Can you imagine having all that knowledge at the palm of your… whoa!" Her face froze up when they got to the school courtyard noticing the moon in the sky. "It's night!? How long was I in there?"

"Guess you need to get a watch to keep time for you before you go putting your brain in a computer." A third nudge came and this time she made contact.

"Don't be sassy. I already get enough of that out of my friends."

"Heh. Fine. But uh… are you gonna be ok going home all by yourself? I mean… with the… you know."

"The giant shadow monster?" She retorted. "I'll be fine. So long as I don't use magic." Twilight added hesitantly as her eyes darted to the long stretch of shadow that stood between her and the bus stop. "I don't suppose the bus will be here anytime soon?"

"Don't you ride your bike to school?"

"Sometimes. But… not today. Aheh…"

"Well if you don't mind. I can give you a lift." The boy offered gesturing to the parking lot where a stylish motorcycle was parked in placed of his fancy car.

But Twilight brushed him off casually. "That won't be necessary. I am fully capable of getting home on my own. It's not that far a walk and I'm not afraid of some monster in the dark. What do you take me for? A six-year old?" But those words proved a lie when the wind blew over ruffling the bushes nearby. She jolted forward unconsciously grabbing the boy by the jacket wrapping her arms around him like a protective pillow. "Ah… ahehe. For the record, I was startled, not scared."

"Sure." His eyes rolled not believing that for a minute. "At least let me stay with you until the bus gets here. The last thing you want is to be left alone out here in the middle of the night."

Twilight opened her mouth to protest but hesitated when she noted the scenery around her. She never imagined that the school would be this frightening at night. The flickering street lights, the cold breeze and the rustling of nature? And with the security cameras only watching the inside of the school, it was the perfect setting for a crime waiting to happen.

"I guess it couldn't hurt."

xxxxxxxxxx

Flash gladly followed her, dragging his bike to the bus stop sign where a few lights illuminated the place. The two of them waited. Listening to the bugs and crickets go by while standing together in absolute silence.

Until one idiot decided to open his mouth. "So how are you and Timber?"

She shot him a surprised look but didn't seem offended by it. "Oh… uh… we're umm… good." She nodded back shyly feeling like she was boasting. "We've been hanging out a lot more now these days. We were just talking before you came along."

"Yeah, I realized that. Sorry."

"Don't be. We just made plans for the Winter Holidays. I just hope that we can settle this whole magic adventure problem by then. I wouldn't really mind one semester without having to deal with a magical enchantment from here or Equestria."

"Hey, with you and Sunset at the lead, I'm sure you'll figure it out." Flash cheered her on. "You always have in my book."

Twilight smiled back though her expression felt lacking. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. I just wish that was the case in all our adventures." She noted his questioning look. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to go on these adventures from time to time, and getting to understand magic in this world is a great extracurricular activity. I just wished it didn't involve us in all these dangerous situations."

"Well if it gets too much for you, you can always count on me to listen to your problems." The boy mentioned, shrugging.

"Thanks but I think only my friends can understand what I'm going through."

Flash shot her a look. "Aren't we friends?"

"We are. We Are!" She corrected quickly enough. "Just… not…"

"No magic. I understand." He chuckled breaking the tension.

"Let's uh… change the subject." The bespectacled girl suggested to which he naturally agreed. "Can I ask a question?" She blinked. "Other than the one I just asked?"

"Fire away. I got nothing to hide."

That was an offer he would later regret. "How come you never talk much about yourself?" His eyes shot up for a moment, noting her odd expression.

"Wha… what do you mean?"

"I mean we've known each other for a while now and… it's just now that we're getting to know the other you." She pointed out plainly, eyes not leaving him. "All this time I thought you were just this…"

"Cool guy from across the street?"

Her smile sharpened. "I was going to say the run of the mill rocker guy but sure." Ouch… that actually hurt. "It's just that, it's only now that we all noticed this other side of you. Even Sunset didn't even known about all this stuff. About your folks, your life. Your incredibly wealthy and influential background. I mean… did you know that your dad is actually a candidate to run for mayor of Canterlot City and has the highest statistics to win!?"

"Yeah. He mentioned something about that."

"My point exactly!"

Flash sighed as he put the stand on his bike. "Well to be honest I didn't want people looking at me like the spoiled runt in school. I'd prefer to be known as the lead guitarist. I mean… can you imagine me having that rich boy look?" No… no she could not. "And besides, I don't really like talking about my folks."

"Oh… I see." Twilight tipped her lip, suddenly feeling rather guilty for bringing it up. "Sorry. I thought for a moment you and your dad were close."

"We are." He nodded again. "Or… we were. Back then he's always been off on his exploration trips. I figured we'd reconnect now that he decided to stay and take that job at CPA."

"Are things not working out between you two?"

"It is. It's just that…" He grumbled, lowering his gaze to the pavement. "We don't really have a lot to talk about. I mean what do I say to someone whose been gone for years?"

"What about your mom? Doesn't she stay with you?"

"Not that I can remember." The boy sighed. "She passed away when I was really small."

Twilight mentally smacked herself for that question. "Oh… sorry."

"Don't be. I'm fine with it. But I think that's one of the reason why my dad buried himself in his work and why he keeps his distance from me." He played with a bang of his hair as he continued. "Apparently I look very much like her and it reminds him of the good old times."

"You… look like your mom?"

"That's what they say. Apparently it's the hair. It's very distinctive."

"Huh. Now you colored me curious. A female version of you." She eyed him suspiciously which he stepped back.

"Uh… Twilight? What are you doing?"

"Shhh. Hold still. I'm trying to visualize it." She squinted, hands forming a triangle. "Yes. I can see it now. A ponytail and a long skirt. I'm thinking Fluttershy mixed in with a little bit of Rainbow Dash."

His eyes narrowed. "You're… playing with me right now, aren't you?"

"Just a little bit." Twilight laughed, not really denying it. "What would you prefer? Dress or slacks?"

"I think I'll refrain from answering that question."

**(Alleyway)**

Professor Abacus Cinch strode through the empty alley of Canterlot City that night. One would know that a woman like her would never stoop to walking in such a decrepit place. Even less so in such a dirty environment. But tonight she made an exception. Because her purpose required full secrecy and such a place cannot be found within the open streets of the city.

Her footsteps echoed through the old filthy pavement frightening alleyway cats and dogs alike from their holes. Bugs and other critters also scrambled away, terrified of her presence.

When she finally reached the deep end of the alley, the woman cast a glance to her surrounding making sure there were no prying eyes or curious ears poking around. Secrecy and privacy was key.

Once she was sure that that there were no interference the old woman breathed a sigh and pulled off the cuff of her sleeves revealing a bracelet hidden within. A dark gemstone that acted as the centerpiece hummed with a mystical vibe pulsing with energy. Within seconds a portal tore itself at that alley like a small window to another realm.

Cinch waited for the portal to stabilize before retracting her arm. She adjusted her blazer, patting the dust away like she was meeting a very important guest.

There was a short pause before a hazy figure appeared on the other side, its feminine voice muffled by the portal. **_"This transmission is not scheduled, Cinch. This had better be important."_**

The former Principal bowed shallowly to the figure. "My apologies Master. I know I promised much but there have been… complications."

The woman snorted back, not even trying to hide her irritation. **_"Explain."_**

"My position in the museum may have been compromised." Her tone sharpened thinking at the girl who came to her earlier. "One of the girls from CHS, the one who possess magic, seemed to understand that the relics have powers. They somehow managed to track me down. While they don't have concrete evidence yet, it won't be long before they pin me as the prime suspect."

**_"And the Chalice?"_**

"The Chalice of Wishes and the other artifacts are safe within the confines of Professor Sombra's estate. I made sure of their transfer. There should be no problems there."

The ethereal woman huffed. A hand over her chin, thinking. **_"This is unacceptable, Abacus. Your constant lack of discretion of your new found powers risks exposing us and our plans to these… children and the public."_**

"I only did so to find more magic like you wished."

**_"Finding more source is 'His' task. Not yours. I gave you the Uta to protect the relics, not hunt down wayward magic. At the rate he's been acquiring, we will have more than enough to accomplish our goals. Leave that task to him rather than interfering."_**

"As… you wish."

**_"And make sure that our plan remains secret. You must leave no trace of our involvement unless you want everyone to know the existence of magic."_**

"Yes. Of course Master."

**_"Good. How goes the construction?"_**

Cinch nodded back pleasingly. "We are ahead of schedule on that regard. The new wing of the museum will serve as the perfect staging ground for our master plan. We should be done very soon as long as there are no delays. But like I said before… those children from CHS can very well be a problem."

**_"Their powers are a tempting source of magic but they can be too much to handle should they come together. Their activities these last few months alone have proven that they are… capable at the very least." _**There was a hint of admiration in her tone when she mentioned them.**_ "Best keep a distance away until the time is right. They are not part of the plan so there's no reason for bringing them in."_**

"And if they do become a problem?"

**_"Should they become a hindrance then I will have 'Him' deal with it personally."_** The owner of the voice groaned. **_"The Winter Solstice is just a few months away. We are so close now. Do not let your personal vendetta get in the way of our goal. Is that understood?"_**

"I do… Master."

She bowed lowly as the portal vanished into thin air leaving an eerie silence in its place. Once Cinch was sure that her unnamed master was gone she turned over to her shadow, snorting, waving a finger beckoning the beast inside the approach. It did so whimpering softly like a pup that knew it did something wrong.

"Aww… don't be sad. You'll have your chance soon, my dear." She scratch the beast by its dark fur letting it rub cutely around her fingers. "Just because we can't hurt them directly doesn't mean we can't still hurt them."

**A/N: Winter is here!**


	12. Recipe for Disaster

**Chapter 12: Recipe for Disaster**

**(Friday) (Morning) (CHS courtyard)**

"Cinch!?" Twilight let out a mighty gasp when she heard the name. Sunset covered her mouth but not fast enough to catch the attention of the students around them. "Are you sure?"

"Believe me, I'm 100% sure. Creepy eyes, glasses and a scowl that could make your skin crawl? It was definitely her."

"And you think she's behind these attacks?"

"Absolutely." Sunset gave a confident nod. "When I was close to her, I felt the same kind of magic that came from the artifacts. She's either behind all of this or is part of it."

"That doesn't make sense." Twilight opted, continuing their walk to school as they spoke. "I know that Principal Cinch was upset about what happened at the Friendship Games. But I didn't think she'd be upset enough to actually hurt others."

"But doesn't it make sense?" Sunset challenged. "She has motive, she knows that magic exists and she had access to those artifacts. I'd say those are more than enough to make her guilty beyond reason."

"Sounds like someone's just bitter."

"That still makes her a prime suspect in my book."

"I don't know Sunset. That seems like jumping to conclusions to me." Much to her surprise, Twilight actually defended that woman. "I know that Cinch wasn't exactly the nicest person to be with but I find it hard to believe she'd stoop down to such a level. What you felt might just be magic residue that lingered off her body. You did say that she was one of the few people who touched the artifacts, right?"

"Yeah… but…"

"But she doesn't appear on my scanners. It could just be she held the object in her hand, so some of that magic might've just passed on to her. And if we leave it alone, it'll just disappear like Adagio said."

"You sure that's a good idea?"

"Did you check everyone else who also had access to the relics?"

Her face went down. "Well… n… no. But she still strikes me as our prime suspect. I mean who else could it be?"

"Just because she did something horrible back then doesn't make her a villain now." Twilight berated her. "We shouldn't go accusing people just because of what they did in the past. You and I should know that better than anyone here." Her friend recoiled at that outburst. "Everyone deserves a chance – or at the very least, give her the benefit of the doubt. Don't you think you're being a little unfair after what we've done ourselves?"

She might be. After all, she was once like Cinch. Doing everything for the sake of victory. Heck, she even took it a few steps further, turning in a raging She-Demon in the process almost turning the whole school into an army of zombies. And Twilight nearly entombed the whole school when she was Midnight Sparkle. Who would've thought that they would be labeled as the queens of means in this school?

"You're… probably right." She let out a defeated sigh. "I shouldn't be pointing fingers at everyone I don't like. Maybe I'll… do a double check on her just to be sure."

"We both will." Twilight assured her, passing a soft smile. "I'll do a full scan of the museum with my equipment. If she really does hold the magic like you say, then we'll confront her together. And besides, it's not like she can get her hands on the artifacts right now."

"Yeah… yeah that's true. I guess I was worried for nothing."

"And even if she did bring out her shadow wolf, we know how to beat it." Twilight thrust her fist forward pretending to shoot some kind of magical beam out like one of those magical girls in cartoons. "Speaking of wolves. Did you hear about the plan Flash made for Rarity's animal pageant show?"

**(Crystal Prep Academy)**

At long last. Friday.

Celestia breathed a sigh of relief as she entered the sister school of CHS. It was the last day of the week and the last of her goodwill visits. Having to see Cadance these last few days have been great but being away from her own school was pretty lonesome. Luna has done a wonderful job keeping things together and there have been little complaint by the faculty staff but it would be nice to finally return to her own office and be with her own students.

As she paced through the hallowed halls of Crystal Pep Academy, she could see that most of the kids here have grown accustomed to seeing her around. Some even greeted back making it look like she was an actual teacher of this school. Heh… that would be a barrel of laughs.

Taking another turn, she found herself staring at the door of the Principal's Office. The name tag on the door was freshly minted. A rough guess would say that the new Superintendent has finally decided to move in.

She gave a gentle knock and heard a voice beckoning her to come in. With a soft sigh she entered, eyes shooting up when she saw the newly renovated office.

"Ah… Lesty. Good timing. Come on in." Sombra offered her a seat as he put out his diplomas on the wall and a few mugs on the table. The coffee pot that had given her a bad stomach was gone, replaced with an expensive looking teapot. Something akin to what Fluttershy would have in her dashboard. "Sorry for the mess. I just had the old stuff put away for mine. Can I get you some tea? I made a fresh pot." He paused for a moment, a coy smirk growing on his lips. "I promise it won't make you sick."

Celestia rolled her eye back at him. "You're never gonna let that go, are you?"

"Not in a million years." He answered, placing two cups on his desk. "I also see that you found your way to my office. All by yourself."

"I only got lost twice." She reasoned back puffing her cheeks in such an adorable way. "And if I remember correctly, you were lost too. In your own school no less."

"I wasn't lost." Sombra defended feigning innocence. "I was just umm… patrolling the halls, making sure everyone was in class."

"Emm hmm… sure. Like anyone would believe that." Celestia shot him a wry look. "You've never been very good at lying."

"That just goes to show that I am an honest man at heart. Or… so some people claim to say." He rubbed the back of his long raven hair shyly.

"I guess all that time in your expeditions didn't change that part of you at all."

He laughed. "Well when you're exploring cavernous areas and ruins of long lost civilizations in the rain forest, you don't exactly have much options in terms of company. One time I was trapped in a canyon for a whole week. I was so mad for company I started talking with rock formations like they were my friends."

"Ha! And you thought that our school mascot was crazy."

"Hey in my defense, I was young and I didn't know that seahorses were a thing." They glared at one another before suddenly burst out laughing. "Ah… I missed this. I can't remember the last time we bickered over something so… mundane."

"I know. Remember our college debate on snacks?"

"How can I forget? You and Luna argued which was better: Liquorish or popcorn. That whole thing lasted for weeks. Doodles and I had to separate you two."

"Those were the good old days."

"The best of days." Sombra corrected smiling nostalgically. "Even Sophie had a good laugh every now and then."

Sophie…

The name rang so many old bells in her memories dusting away the cobwebs and reopening distant events.

Sombra's late wife, Flash's mother and… a dear old friend. A companion that they all went through together.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Sophie."

The man quickly realized his mistake and hastily waved it off, forcing a smile. "Don't be. She lived a good life and she was happy at the end. I couldn't ask for anything more for her."

"I wish I could've talked with her one more time." Celestia said solemnly. "She would be very proud of her son. Flash Sentry has grown to be quite the gentleman. You can't imagine the things he's gone through."

"So I've heard." He nodded. "I'm sure his mother is looking out for him wherever she is. I just hope he won't turn up like me. Going on adventures every waking moment." His bones shivered at the thought. "Trust me. It's not as exciting as it sounds."

"You don't think he has the aptitude for it?"

"I've come to realize a little too late that: Wherever you go, there are just some voids you can't fill deep in your heart." Sombra's face darkened as if concerned over a serious matter. "The past has a way of catching up to us when we least expect it."

Yeah. Somehow she understood those words.

"I know the feeling."

"Say…" The Superintendent brightened up. "Are you… free tomorrow, Lesty?"

"Me?" The question naturally caught her off guard. "Well… I'm not doing anything in particular. Why?"

"Well it just so happens that I'm hosting a pageant show on Saturday and I was hoping you could come as my morale support. Some important friends from the capitol are flying all the way here and I could really have someone watching my back."

Celestia's brow ticked upward. "You mean like… a date?"

"NO!" He muffled his mouth. "I mean… no. Of course not. It's not a date-date. Ahehehe…" Oh god, he looked so adorable. It actually reminded her of his younger self back in college. "But there'll be an after party with a lot of important people. It wouldn't hurt to rub shoulders with the boys and girls at the top. Right? So what do you say?" The man eyed her expectantly. "Care to be my Plus-1?"

She eyed him curiously, but couldn't help but smile at the offer.

**(Midtown Apartment)**

Aria sighed lowly that afternoon as she strolled through the kitchen of their apartment casting an eye on each shelf along the way.

It was a humble place near the edge of the city that served as their home for the last few years since they were banished to this place. While Adagio might call it a dump it still provided a roof over their heads and better shelter than their van.

The apartment had about five rooms total. Two bedrooms which she and Sonata share one. The living room and kitchen were connected along with the dining room. There was also a spacious bathroom for all their hygienic needs and a simple storeroom. Thankfully the rent here wasn't extortionately expensive and they've been able to live by with what they could scrounge up. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing.

But at the moment, it would seem like they really did have nothing.

All the cupboards were entry, their pantry was nothing but dust and cobwebs and the half eaten sandwich in the fridge left for a poor sight.

"So… what's for lunch?" Sonata asked from the dining table with spoon and fork in hand.

"A half-eaten sandwich." Aria replied showing the said treat. "I think it might've been… tuna… or maybe mystery jam. I don't know. Want to try it out?" The airhead nodded back and gleefully bite into the sandwich.

"Oh. Yup. That's definitely tuna." She paused. "Or… it could be mystery jam. I can't really tell."

"Ugh. This is ridiculous. Whose turn was it to do the groceries this week?"

"Not me. Mine was last month. I would've helped but you guys banned me from shopping."

"That's because you spent our entire grocery money for a stupid doll!"

"What!?" Sonata gasped grasping a large stuffed animal twice her size. No one knew what it was except that it had a snout, a scarred eye and a feathered cap. "How dare you call Sir Hugsalot stupid!? He's the most adorable huggable creature ever!"

Aria couldn't help but groan. "You do know that guy pretty much conned you to buy that thing for 4 times the price, right?"

"And he was worth every bit."

"Ugh you really are an idiot."

"Pfft. You're just jealous because you don't have a huggy buddy." She cuddled the strange animal with such affection that it made Aria gag.

"I'm this close to turning your hug buddy into dinner." But thankfully she didn't as their fearless leader returned, rubbing her nose like she was trying to suppress a migraine. They saw her toss her phone to the table, grunting angrily before snatching the cold sandwich off Sonata's fingers. "What's eating you?"

"Technically she's eating a sandwich."

Adagio ignored their banter and spat out her bite. "Ugh… what is this? Mystery jam?"

"It's actually tuna." Sonata corrected as she caught the sandwich back and gladly took another bite.

"Well I just had a long chat with our esteemed manager at the Sleepy Sirens." That didn't sound promising. "I told him that we can't take the late night shift anymore."

"I take it he didn't take it very well." Aria deduced to which she was probably right.

"He didn't." Adagio grumbled. "He says that he has to let us go. I guess that's simply the polite way of saying that we're all fired."

"Well good riddance. I never liked that place anyway. Always so crowded and loud."

Sonata sobbed. "Aww… but I like that place." No it wasn't. The pay was mediocre, the customers were nightmares, the boss was absolutely overbearing and don't even let Aria get started on the fan club. "Does that mean I won't be able to bring back leftovers from the snack table?"

"It means we won't be going back there. Ever." Aria explained. "Speaking of which, someone needs to run down to the grocery store. We're pretty much out of… well… everything."

"Not so fast girls." Adagio raised her hand up. "If you remember, our savings aren't exactly top notched ever since we splurged it on that 2nd hand van for our mini-tour around the countryside. We have about enough to pay our rent this month alone. And we can't exactly go back to our old job."

"Ugh… great. We're broke in more ways than one. What other place do we know that generates a lot of negative emotions?"

"None that we know." Their leader sighed. "Looks like I'll have to take that waitress job in the mall."

"Ugh… you're gonna smell like fish."

"Oh be quiet. It's not like we have any other ideas. As long as that monster is out there hunting for magic, we can't afford to be out the city at night." Sonata whimpered behind recalling the attack.

Aria unconsciously reached out for her frightened sister reassuring her with a soft smile. She wasn't gonna let that monster near her. Not as long as she had anything to say about it. "What about those girls back in Canterlot High? Did they find anything?"

"Not a peep. Though that's quite understandable. I'm not exactly thrilled of looking for monsters that see us like buffet tables on a deserted island."

"Oh oh oh!" Sonata waved her hand up like a child wanting to answer a question her teacher gave out. "Can I help? There's an opening at that Cake Shop we passed the other day."

"No!" Adagio shot her down before she even got out of her seat. "That magic we got from that Flash guy was just enough to keep up. You need to rest."

"But I've been trapped in this apartment for days now."

"And you'll continue to stay until we can find another place that serves negative emotion on a platter." She leaned on her seat deep in thought. "We just need to think."

**(Fashion Boutique) (Canterlot Mall)**

Rarity walked softly down the halls of the mall that evening heading to her workplace with a half-cooked smile on her face. The mall's renovation had begun and the main square was already being converted to a runway where models of all kind will be strutting through with grace, decked out with fabulous clothes and thick sheets of makeup. Large neon lights and smoke machines were being installed and even a DJ booth was erected at the second floor, ready to blare out all the remixed noises they want.

The models who will be strutting over there will all shine like stars tomorrow, and oddly enough she didn't meant that in a metaphorical term. With the amount of jewels Ms. Hemline brought out of her personal stash, those models out there will be gleaming and glittering painting the whole mall with all the colors of the rainbow.

She could hardly wait.

If only her designs would have such an impact.

Oh well… there was always next time.

Eventually…

She reached the front of the boutique unsurprised that everyone was still going on about like a bunch of headless chickens. It seems like Prim Hemline wasn't gonna be pulling any punches. She can expect her rivals from the other stores to put just as much effort. Still… if she was gonna put her money on a winner, Hemline would take the pot.

"Everyone stop!" The whole crew froze on their tracks when their boss kicked down the door of her office breaking it off its hinges. "We need to redo the second lineup! Right now! Put away those glitter and replace hems! You and you! Man the stations! I'll do it myself if I have to!"

"Ms. Hemline?" Rarity managed to break through her fright and speak up. "What's the matter? What's wrong with the second lineup? They look wonderful."

"Wonderful isn't enough!" The fashion mistress retorted, her eyes widened in panic. "They need to be perfect! Absolutely perfect! We must use all of our resources to make them shine ever brighter!"

"All of it? I know it's an important show, ma'am. But isn't that a bit excessive?"

"Not when they're coming!"

They? The word made her staff tilt.

"They who?"

"I just got a call from my former agent in the capitol. The world renowned rivals, Fancy Pants and Hoity Toity are coming here! They are to be the judges of the pageant show!"

Fancy Pants and Hoity Toity?

Everyone in the store gasped in both fear and amazement.

There was not a single one in the fashion business who didn't know their names. They were once co-star fashion designers who were at the top of their industry during the dark-age of art. They were pretty much nobodies back then until they found each other in Manehatten. Pitching their ideas together they created a lineup of dresses, suits and costumes that practically cornered the market. They opened their own store and became names that were known throughout the country. And ever since their debut on the grand runway, they made tours around the world showing up in talk shows, billboards, magazines and had their designs put on display like museum art pieces. 'The Power Partners' as people called them. Their original first-gen designs were practically auctioned for millions.

But then one day they the two of them got into a massive argument and split, each of them starting their own brand and have been rivaling for the first place ever since. It was practically a show biz drama story.

"H… Hoity Toity an Fancy Pants? The founders of Hoity Toity Trendsetter and The Fancy Fabulous?"

"The very same! They're flying in the air right now and will be in Canterlot City within the hour!" Their two screams could probably wake up at the dead at this point.

"But why!? Are they here for the fashion show?" Rarity couldn't wrap her head around it. "I mean I know that they're super stars of the industry but why would two of the most iconic figures of the fashion world attend such a…"

"Small? Insignificant? Mediocre?" Prim punctuated that last bit. "You might be right on that regard. But apparently a certain _'benefactor' _of ours is a close friend with each of them. He pulled in a few strings to get them to come over."

A benefactor?

The only name that came to mind would be Sombra, Flash's father. Did he have such a connection with those two? That would certainly make him quite the influencer.

"My goodness. That is amazing." Rarity's eyes beamed. "Oh dear. To be in the same room and breathe the same tasteless air as those two. It will simply be…"

"… divine." Prim agreed, before her face suddenly contorted with fear. "We need to redo the whole thing! Everyone stop what you're doing! We are redoing the second lineup, right now! And someone get me a pile of clothes where I can scream into!" Yup, she was having a meltdown. "Rarity!"

"Y… yes?" The girl stiffened when her boss held her by the shoulder, looking into her eyes deeply like a woman with a purpose.

"This show has been escalated to the top." She declared loudly. "We must do our utmost to impress them! Hold nothing back. Use everything and anything you want from the storeroom. I am lifting all restrictions from the tailoring stations. Do whatever it is you have to! We must win this pageant at any cost!"

"Of… of course Ms. Hemline. You can… count on me… ahehe…"

"Very good!" She screamed a tone too high when she finally released her. "Someone get me my coffee! And where's that pile of clothes I asked for!?" The lady then returned to her work, screaming and yelling at anyone who came her way.

Oh dear. This just got complicated.

Rarity looked over to her section of the store where her four designs were prepared. She had made them yesterday and sadly there were only four on the roster. Most folks here expected to see a whole rack full of her clothes but alas… fate has dealt her a cruel hand. She was doomed to forever be beneath the low born of the fashion world.

"Hey Rarity!" She looked up immediately when her name was called out. It wasn't Ms. Hemline. She was busy roaring over her lineup.

"Bulk?" The young lass turned over to the door noticing one of her overly muscular acquaintance waving by with his pet dog in hand. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah… I heard from Fluttershy that you needed animals for the show, so I thought I'd bring Wooyoo." The man/boy's dog barked cutely in return, wagging its tail like the most adorable ball of fluff ever. "She says that she wants to wear something deep and meaningful… like my MUSCLES!"

Rarity chuckled back accepting the little fluffy guy. Fluttershy must've gone through some hoops to get him to come over. "I will be happy to add you and little Wooyoo here to my roster, Bulk. Your contribution will make an excellent addition."

"YEAH!" He flexed out wildly nearly ripping off his shirt. "That is… AWESOME!"

"Rarity! Heya!" Another voice chimed in catching the fashionista's attention.

"Apple Bloom? Winona?" She startled. "How…?"

"Heard you needed animals for the show. So I brought in Winona along. Applejack wanted to bring her personally but she's out visiting Big Mac at the hospital. Granny even brought Max and Maxine along for the run." Those would be the goats outside.

Rarity's eyes widened a bit. She clearly wasn't expecting aid to come so soon. "Why… thank you. I never imagined you would…"

"Hey Rarity!" Rainbow Dash came next before she could even finish her thanks. The speedster came in with her pet turtle in tow. "Got room for one more in your lineup? Remember, I want Tank to be 20% cooler than everyone else."

"Hey Rare!" Twilight and Spike? You too?

"Rarity! Yoohoo!"

"Rarity, over here!"

"The Great and Powerful Trixie has… hey! I'm still talking here!"

"Oh Rarity!"

Before long the whole front of the boutique was jam packed with her friends waving over with all of their adorable pets. A smile began to grow on Rarity's lips while her heart melted.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Wow… I guess that plan worked out too well." Flash chuckled to himself as he watched Rarity drown in with her friends as their pets lined up to be measured by the fashionista herself. She looked… happy. Like really happy.

"Oh I think it worked out perfectly." Fluttershy cutely agreed patting the boy on the back. "Are you sure you don't want to put Banana in as well? I know your little fluffy friend would love to be part of the big show."

He looked back at the store and shrugged. "I think Rarity's got her hands full with those guys already. She doesn't need more than that. Thanks for giving me your contacts though."

"I should be the one thanking you. I'd never be able to talk to everyone and ask them to bring their animal companions to Rarity." She added while petting her pet rabbit. "It was really nice of you to do all of this for Rarity's sake. I really didn't want to disappoint her because of that bad food incident."

The boy shrugged back casually. "Meh. I figured she could use a break. She has been working really hard on those designs after all. I'd hate to see them go to waste. It might not be a magical emergency but I'd love to help out either way."

"Well I think what you did for her is still very sweet. All the animals will be happy they get to wear something really fancy for once. Even Angel here is excited." Her rabbit gleefully agreed, already imagining itself as a daring musketeer.

"You think so? I only just called a few friends over. You and Twilight handled the rest."

"Now you're just being humble." She threw him a punch which felt more like a soft breeze rather than a hit. "How about this? As a thank you. Why don't I take you out for the movies this Sunday? Rainbow Dash has been going on about this new Daring Do movie all week."

"A beautiful lady asking me out to a cool action movie?" He teased. "How could I possibly say no?"

Fluttershy chuckled back, holding her flushed cheeks in check. They then noticed the animals in the store began to go on an uproar which didn't bode well for the boutique. "Oh… I think that's my cue. Won't you join us?"

Flash waved it off. "Nah, I'll probably just get in the way. You go on ahead. I'll catch the whole thing on the pageant tomorrow." He leaned back and watched as Fluttershy entered. And within seconds, all the animals in the store began to calm down like they were put under a spell. "Good luck ladies."

**(Celestia/Luna's Apartment)**

Celestia was in a bit of a rut that evening.

For one thing she was grateful that it was Friday. That meant that there was no need to get up early tomorrow. She also had a Not-date with a certain Superintendent tomorrow and right now she was raiding her closet for the proper attire.

She wondered if she could go in with her casual attire. It was simple, comfy and looked stylish.

Ah… no. That won't do. There was an after party later, with all those important guests in Sombra's political circle. She'd need to look prim and proper. Maybe she could try on that white dress she bought some time ago during Mayor Mare's acceptance speech. It had a certain elegance to it, warm and was hot dang stylish to boot.

But would that look good for the pageant show? Ugh… dang it. Now she's just going in circles!

"Sister?" Luna called out after knocking on the opened door. "What are you do… whoa!" She gasped when she saw the mess sprawled all over the room. "What happened here? It looked like a tornado just passed by."

"I wished." She groaned, piling up another set of clothes on her bed. "I'm currently trying to find an outfit for tomorrow. I'm ah… going to a rather lavish party."

"A lavish party? That sounds intriguing." Luna's eyes squinted as a grin showed itself on her face. "Anything I should know about?"

"Nothing you should be concerned about. Just… mingling with some of the local elites of the city."

She gasped. "Really now? That's good. But how in the world did you get invited?"

"I'm actually going as a Plus-1 to a certain… wealthy benefactor."

"A Plus-1?" Luna put her mind at work and suddenly connected the dots. "Wait a minute. Don't tell me it's… Sombra!?" Her guilty expression answered that question. "No way. You actually talked it out after all these years!?" Her sister shrugged back smiling happily. "And now he's asking you out as his date!?"

"Not a date." Celestia corrected. "Just friends. He needs someone as a morale support. He's hosting a pageant show tomorrow and will be one of the judges in the panel."

"Right~~ and you're picking out an attire to… what? Seduce him?"

"Sister. I am not that kind of person." Luna gave her a look. "Well… not anymore. My dating days are behind me."

"Emm hmm. Sure. I believe you." She definitely didn't. "But… let's say for a moment you're… still in the market. Would you go back to him?"

"I… I don't understand what you're saying."

"Oh come on Celestia. You can't be this ignorant! Can't you see the hints?"

The Principal backed away. "Wh… what hints?"

"The SIGNALS!" Her little sister squealed. "I can't believe you can't even catch the signals."

"What signals? What are you going on about?"

"Don't you see? It's clear that he wants to get back with you!"

Celestia brushed off that nonsense. "Don't be ridiculous. There was no such hints."

"Oh please. Why else would he ask you out?"

"Because we share the same occupation and have the same aptitude for public appearance. We complement each other on a natural level."

"Ah huh… and he likes you." The damn woman insisted. "Face it sis. It's so clear that he's still holding a torch for you even after all these years."

"That's… that's preposterous."

"Did he ask you all shy and nervous? Or was he totally direct?"

He was kind of going around at first but eventually came clean. And now that she thought about it, he did look kind of fidgety.

"He was… hesitant about it."

"Then you're in the clear! Sombra is definitely still into you."

"But what about Sophie?"

"Oh don't bring her up now." Luna scolded, pulling her sister to the mirror. "It's been over 10 years since then. I'm sure Sombra is ready to move on. And seeing you must've sparked that torch that he's been holding ever since. Speaking of which… I hope you guys settled your past grievances."

"We did… somewhat."

"Good enough for me. Now let's have a look." She quickly dove into the pile of dresses and frowned. "Wow sister. Since when was the last time you shopped for clothes?" She picked one out of the pile and cringed at the designs. "Wasn't this from your prom… back in college?"

"High school actually." That didn't make it sound any better. "I just never thought I'd have to deal with this kind of thing again."

"That's a sad state of future you have there."

"Excuse me!?"

Luna brushed her anger off. "Now now. Let's not give up hope. There must be something here you can wear that won't make you look like some kind of adult trying to play kid again. Don't you have anything for formal events?"

"The last dress I have was for Mayor Mare's acceptance speech. I could just raid my closet again. But… most of the stuff I have here aren't exactly for… high class."

"And there's no way we can shop for anything at this time." Luna grumbled lowly before a thought popped in. "I got it! Wait right here!" She bolted off to the adjacent room and trampled through furniture before finally returning with a deep blue dress. "Here. Try this on."

Celestia's eyes widened in shock when she saw the dress. Her mouth opened in awe while her breath was stolen away by the beauty of it. "Why… Luna. It's… gorgeous. Where did you get this?"

She shrugged. "I might've splurged a bit last month. I was actually saving it for the Winter Holiday party in school. But I figured you deserve this much of a chance."

Celestia looked at it. The dress was a deep navy blue that went just above her ankles with glitters that formed a crescent moon on the lower side. One might guess her sister had a hand in that. It might not agree with her appeal but it looked damn good even from afar.

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. Try it on." She quickly pushed the lucky gal to the divider watching her change into it. "Well? How is it?"

"It's absolutely divine." Not a surprise there. "But… there's just one slight problem."

"Oh? What is it?"

"It's a little tight around the chest."

Luna threw a roll of socks at her.


	13. The Magic Thickens

**Chapter 13: The Magic Thickens**

**(Saturday) (Morning) (Flash's house)**

_'Hoity Toity and Fancy Pants arrive at Canterlot City.'_

_'Power-Partners reunite for the first time in years'_

\- Photo submitted by Photo Finished

Those were the headlines Flash read on the newspaper with a photo of two abhorrently fashionable men looking away from one another in a disgruntled manner. Apparently they were some kind of major stars in the fashion industry and were visiting Canterlot for the pageant show at the mall. He didn't know about them until recently when his dad mentioned them at one point. Surprisingly enough these two rivaling folks were able to be friends with his old man.

Makes him wonder how influential his father really was. But… then again… he was planning to run for mayor during the elections next year. Flash thought that his old man was just some dusty old explorer like Daring Do who would raid tombs and ancient ruins for lost treasures. Now he was rubbing elbows with all the political elites.

That would make things even more awkward if everyone in school found out.

Flash Sentry, the son of the mayor of Canterlot City. That'll look good on his profile.

"Refill, Master Flash?" His butler offered with a jug in hand.

"Yes Edmund. Thanks." The boy bit off the side of his toast as he answered. "Hey, quick question. What do you know about my dad's campaign election?"

"Wouldn't it be better to ask your father directly, sir?"

"I'd… prefer an outside opinion." He reasoned. "I mean… my dad's barely been back a few months and the next thing I know he's the new Principal of Crystal Prep. And now he's running for mayor? I mean those are pretty big achievements."

"Master Sombra is a well-respected man in both political and academic circles." Edmund explained. "He has spent the better part of the last few years acquainting himself with very important people. I am not one to spread rumors but I did hear from some of the employees that he is using various favors to fund his campaign. With his reputation alone as a benefactor of arts, science and desire to improve the education of the children, he stands a great chance of winning. It will certainly end Mayor Mare's streak of running the town hall."

"So it's already in the bag before it begins huh?" The boy grunted, tossing the paper aside. "Next year I'll be the son of the mayor. If I didn't know better, he might put a security detail around me."

"I think that's a natural thing to do for political figures, Master Flash." He replied in a monotone voice. "Speaking of which. Do you have any plans for today sir?"

"Just a few this afternoon." The boy yawned brushing the topic aside. "I got some people to meet at the mall myself. I don't suppose my car is back from the shop."

"Unfortunately the replacement parts will take a bit longer to arrive, Master Flash. Your customized vehicle isn't exactly on store shelves. Our mechanics are working as fast as they can to have your order done though they can only do so much." He picked up a phone from the landline. "I can call in the chauffer to take you there if you wish."

He waved it off. "Nah. I think I'll be fine on my own. Thanks for breakfast."

"My pleasure sir." The older gentleman nodded. "Will you be coming for dinner?"

"Maybe. Depends on what happens tonight." Flash tossed a joke in. "Speaking of which, is dad around?"

"He left to greet his guests at the Hotel Florin for the pageant show earlier this morning. Your father will also be attending an after party so I'm afraid he won't be returning for dinner."

Heh… what else was new? With all the time he spends in his meetings and social events it hardly ever feel like he's back.

"I guess I'll be ordering takeout then."

"Please refrain from eating those junk food sir. They are quite… hazardous to your health. I'd rather suggest you take a balanced meal."

"I know Edmund. Like you told me a hundred times before." He laughed as he walked away. "Just keep the lights on for me. I'll give you a call if I need anything."

The butler sighed but bowed lowly either way. "Always a pleasure sir. I shall have your secondary vehicle brought up immediately."

"You're the best Edmund."

**(Canterlot Mall) (Sushi Store)**

"Thank you. Come again." Sunset slumped behind the counter as she waved to the last pair that claimed their takeout. She rubbed the side of her cheeks feeling it sore in her fingers. Throwing those forced smiles every minute or so have been tiring for her face. She can't tell how much longer she could last around here. Maybe pulling that extra shift wasn't such a good idea. But the offer was just darn too tempting.

The whole mall was in full swing as customers and patrons flooded the grounds in anticipation of the fashion show. She saw many familiar faces pass through the store, and many more coming in for a bite. The whole place was practically swamped. It's no wonder the manager was willing to double their pay. With the amount of customers that were rolling in, they stand to roll in enough cash to actually fix that salmon rack that broke down a month ago. Heck, even that tip jar they put in front of the cashier was looking mighty bloated right now. A few more bits and she'll be able to share it with her co-workers.

She looked down to her watch and noted that her shift was about to end in two hours. The pageant wasn't gonna start in another three so that gave her enough time to finish up and go for a little shopping. _Tickle Fruit 3 'Revenge of Colonel Squirrel'_, the highly anticipated sequel of her favorite game just came out on store yesterday and she was planning to spend her earning to get it. It was something to look forward to this weekend. She could use it to get her mind off this whole magic fiasco, just for a little while.

"Sunset-san." Her manager, a rather slim, soft eyed man with an Eastern accent, called out from the back room. "May I have you here for a minute?"

"Sure thing boss." She answered signaling her co-worker to take over the counter for a while. "What's up Sakura-san? Did the fridge break down or did the over blow another fuse, again? I keep telling you that we need to replace the circuit-breaker so it won't overload."

"No no. Nothing of that sort." He waved it off casually which seemed to state that some of the equipment here weren't at tip-top shape. The store wasn't exactly up to code in some key areas either. "I was hoping you could help guide our new waitress who will be taking the afternoon shift starting Monday."

"Me?" She pointed at herself dumbly. "You want me to show the new girl around?"

"No one here is most experienced than you. You are the most senior member of the store, and you can pronounce each sushi fluently. You can perhaps… as they say: Show them the ropes?"

Sunset tilted her head around hiding a smile under all that fatigue. "I don't know Sakura-san. That sounds a lot like extra work. I'm already swamped just manning the table today and…"

"I will give you first pick on all our leftovers for the whole week."

"Deal." She shook his hand faster than Rainbow Dash ever could. "So who's our new waitress?"

"She is right in there." The older man opened the door to his office beckoning the newbie to enter. And soon enough, the smile on Sunset's face slipped and fell to the floor shattering into a million pieces. "Sunset-san. Please meet…"

"Adagio!?"

The new recruit palmed herself in reply. "Oh you have got to be kidding me."

Their boss darted between the two of them with a curious eye. "You two… know each other?"

"We're…"

"…acquainted." The Siren leader folded her arms with a smug look on her face.

"Excellent!" Either the man didn't catch the dark tone of her voice or that he didn't care, he clasped his hand in joy. "This will make your teaching much easier Sunset-san. I have absolute faith in your abilities. You can start right now. And if you'll excuse me, I must return to my station. Chop chop girls. This is not a self-serving store."

Without even waiting or listening to Sunset's protest, the manager bolted back to the kitchen leaving the two alone to stare at one another like two predators trying to claim the same land.

"What are you doing here Adagio?"

She rolled her eyes back. "Uh… what do you think? I'm here to get a job. Apparently this is the only place in the whole mall that actually pays half-decent for non-skilled labor. And if knew that you were working here, I wouldn't have made the extra effort."

"Work? What happened to the Sleepy Sirens?"

"The manager only has openings for evening shifts. And if you remember, me and my girls aren't exactly keen on hanging out at night."

Oh… right. The wolf monster.

"Oh…" She blinked. "Uh… well this is awkward."

"You're telling me. So are we doing this thing or should I just ask the next lady that comes by?"

"No no. It's um… fine? I suppose." Sunset wasn't really sure if she was trying to convince her or herself. "I guess we'll be working together for a while. That shouldn't be too bad. And I am getting extra servings on the leftover table. You sure you can handle it though? Waitressing isn't exactly an easy job."

"I'll stop you right there." She raised her palm up in annoyance. "I'll have you know that I've been trapped in this world longer than you and I didn't last this long on charity alone. I've gone through more jobs here than you or any of your friends combined. So don't treat me like some kind of newbie."

Huh… now that she mentioned it, Sunset did recall from Twilight's stories that the Sirens were banished to this world a long time ago. Roughly around the time when the Pillars of Old Equestria were still around."

…

"Wait… how old are you guys?"

"Not important." She brushed it off so naturally. "What's important is that this place gives me enough so we can pay our rent, so I need to make a good impression on the boss. When the Winter Holiday rolls in, there'll be less work going around and I'm not spending cold nights in our van… again."

"Wow… Adagio. I guess I never really thought of it that much. You must have way more experience in this world than I do."

"Isn't it obvious?" Her smug grin only made Sunset want to smack it off. "Speaking of experiences, what's the situation with our… magical problem?"

Sunset's gawked in realization. "Oh… right. I totally forgot to update you. Well… it's… complicated."

…

…

…

"So you're saying this Cinch person is responsible for these attacks?"

Sunset shrugged back with a hint of uncertainty in her movement. She had spent the last fifteen minutes explaining everything she had found with everything regarding the magic and her latest suspect.

"Well not a hundred percent but we're getting there. Out of everyone I know, she's the only one with motive, has general knowledge of magic and the capability."

"Sounds like a winner." Adagio grinned. "Why don't you confront her?"

"I want to, but Twilight thinks that I should get my facts checked. She doesn't want me pointing fingers just because of what happened during the Friendship Games."

"Giving that banshee the benefit of the doubt?"

Sunset nodded. "Something like that. It's just… something you learn out of experience." She looked down to her empty tray. "I mean… me and Twilight were once turned into magical monsters bent on destroying or conquering the world. We hurt a lot of people back then and it took some effort to get a fresh start. If people like me could change for the better, why can't she?"

"What an adorable little story." Adagio hid an eye roll gesture. "So what's your next move?"

"Well… after the pageant show, Twilight and I plan to check the museum one more time." It was technically something Twilight insisted on actually. But she didn't need to know that. Her friend practically muscled her way into the investigation. But honestly she probably wanted to see if Cinch really was there. She was her Principal back in the day. Maybe she wanted some closure.

"Hmm… that sounds kind of reckless." She added as she placed a tray down. "Going into the lair of the enemy with just the two of you? If I were thee villain in this story, I would've prepared a trap for you two seeing as you're probably onto me. That… or flee."

"You got a better idea?"

"As a matter of fact I do." The songstress grinned. "Let me tag along."

"You?"

"If this woman really is responsible for what happened to Sonata, you bet your bonus I want in." She tightened her grip on a plate threatening to break it. "Besides, I have a better knowledge of magic than you and your friends. Seeing as I drink it like water."

Sunset gave it a thought. There was no doubt that Adagio was indeed stronger than her when it came to magic. She proved that once before during the Battle of the Bands. Not to mention that she also had also fought the shadow monster head on and survived. That made her a proven weapon. And if they do meet that beast again, they'll at least have a fighting chance.

"Hmm… we could use the extra firepower if things get hairy." She nodded, finally convincing herself. "Alright. You can come. But no funny business."

"Oh please." The woman scoffed. "I'll be a hoot."

**(Square)**

"Wow! Isn't this amazing Maud!?" Pinkie gleefully hopped her way around the second floor of the mall seeing the finalization of the event. From the balcony she could see the runway extended towards the fountain where she and her friends would strutting with their pets like real daytime models. Banners and posters hung from every corner of the wing showing off names and figureheads she didn't recognize. They even have a giant fog machine built at the back of the stage ready to put on an ambience of mysticism. And to top it all off, they even had this unknown DJ playing in the background. "Look how many people are out here! I've never seen the mall so packed even on the holidays. There has to be over a thousand people here!"

"Uh huh…"

"How cool is it that we get to walk the same runway as those supermodels!?"

"Ecstatic…" Her sister replied, sadly, still stoic as ever.

"Just think how gorgeous Gummy would look in that suit and tie. He'll be the star of the show!"

"Yeah that's…" Maud paused, eyes lit. "Wait… Gummy's a guy?"

"Uh… duh. He has been for years now."

"Huh… I did not know that."

"You think Rarity will let me borrow that suit? He'll look so good in parties. The clown outfit I had for him is really getting worn. I think he might be growing a little too fast."

"That's the problem with having an organic pet." Maud replied. "They grow. You should consider getting something rock-based. Take Boulder here for example." She pulled out her pet rock from her pocket. "He lost half an inch last year. I've been keeping him on a very strict diet and daily exercise. And he hasn't complained. Well… most of the time anyway."

"Uh… huh." Pinkie didn't stop her hopping. "So anyway. When I go down the runway – do you think I should do my sassy side or my goofy side?"

"You mean your usual side?"

"Yup!"

"You sure you don't wanna try your third personality?"

"You mean Eiknip?"

"Yeah… her. The strong SILENT type."

"Meh. I think I'd be better off doing what I do best. Hey!" Pinkie spotted a familiar figure in the distance. "That's Rainbow Dash! HEYYYY! Rainbow Dash!" The sports maniac jolted when her name was called. So much so that she nearly dropped her phone.

"What? What are you talking about!?" She panicked when Pinkie sped up to her side. "I wasn't doing anything suspicious!"

"I… never said you were." Pinkie replied. "So whatchadoin?"

"N… nothing." That was a lie and everyone knows it. Rainbow looked embarrassed about something and she wasn't keen on sharing what it was. "I was just um… taking a selfie. You know? To uh… update my profile."

Maud then noted the poster at the wall with a vampire knight and werewolf fighting over a bridge and a girl watching helplessly from a tower.

"Are you planning to watch Fangshire 3: Wilhelm's Rebellion?"

"What!? Th… that lame sappy love triangle movie?" She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Pfft! No. I'd never go anywhere near that thing. I'm more of a… super action kind of guy. Ahehe… hehehe." Yeah… that tone of hers wasn't convincing anyone. "Ah… anyway I just remembered. I need to be somewhere and… it's super important. Later!" And just like that she was gone.

"Huh… that was very suspicious." Pinkie cupped her chin in thought. "You think Rainbow has a thing for vampires?"

Her big sister rolled her eyes. "I think you should ask Rarity that question. By the way, you should really stop hopping. You might hit someone in this crowd."

"Oh pa-lease. I've been bunny hopping on my feet before I could even walk. I've mastered the art of hopping. Why… I'm so good at hopping, I can do it with my eyes cl—doh!" And once again the universe decided to answer her challenge. "Ow… I'm sorry. I wasn't looking."

"Don't mention it. It wouldn't be the first or last time." The boy replied, smiling.

"Flash!?" She squealed. That was starting to become a trend lately whenever they met. But her shock died out when she noted his empty ice cream cone in one hand and a chocolate stain on his jacket. "Oh… that's… umm… sorry."

"Forget it. I was just about to drop this with the cleaners tonight anyway. Hey Maud."

"Hey." The elder Pie greeted back with a hand wave, a smile growing when she saw Pinkie's reaction.

"Let me… get that for you." Pinkie pulled out a napkin from her dimensional hair and began to wipe the stain only to realize a little too late that she was making it worse. "Uh… aheh. That's umm… better?" She tossed the napkin aside, quickly changing the subject. "So… you here for Rarity's show?"

"Isn't everybody?" He gestured to the floor below where many of their friends gathered. Heck, from the looks of it, the whole school was here. "And… aren't you supposed to be with Rarity right now?"

"Oh she's finishing up her designs. The show doesn't start in a couple of hours. Besides she probably has her hands full with everyone we called up. You know?" Of course he knows you idiot. He was the one who came up with the idea! You practically shared all your contact numbers with him back in the diner. Come on, get your head out of the sky for a second. "Ouch…"

"Something wrong?"

"Not really. I just feel like the author of this story just scolded me for being silly."

Flash opened his mouth to question but decided not to jump into that rabbit hole. "O…k? Well I don't know anything about that. But I know what can help. A good side of ice cream. Wanna join me?"

"Oh… umm… well… Maud and I…"

"Would be happy to join you." Her sister interjected quickly dragging the pinkette with her.

**(Backstage)**

Sombra was amazed in how much attention his pageant show had garnered. The mall was practically brimming with people and the crowd gathering outside the stage looked as if they were about to explode. He made a mental note to give the security team extra pay later. If it wasn't for them the whole place would've been swamped already.

Behind him stood the largest gathering of designers and models ever assembled in Canterlot. Many here were known celebrities in their own business but a few unknown stood out as well, all of them eagerly waiting to have their clothes strutted down the runway and have their names printed in on the newspaper. Already he could see rival designers and their underlings eyeing one another trying to intimidate the other side to submission. It will be a tough competition and some of these jackals will do anything to get an edge over their competitors. Though hopefully nothing against the rules. The last thing he wanted was a scandal over this event.

"Mr. Sombra." Prim Hemline greeted with a plastered smile on her face. "I wasn't aware you were coming to visit. Were the judges not allowed to visit the backstage before the show?"

"Just making sure everything was in order." He replied smiling professionally. "I may be one of the judges but I am also the host of this pageant. I'll be a poor host if I didn't come to see things for myself."

"Spoken like a true benefactor." They shared a short laugh. "Speaking of benefactors. I don't suppose the… other judges have arrived yet? I was hoping to make a good impression."

"Hoity Toity and Fancy Pants are already here somewhere. But as you can probably guess they don't see a lot of things eye to eye. I'm sure your designs will catch their attention. However…" He stretched that last bit with a wink. "I can probably introduce you to one of them in the after party."

"Eeeep! Yes! I'll take it! You can certainly count on my vote when you run for mayor next year."

"It'll be a landslide victory." He chuckled before turning to his watch. "That'll be my cue to go. Good luck on the pageant."

"It's already in the bag."

Sombra exited the back stage with a smile. At least now he was sure that the jackals behind the curtains won't eat each other before the show started. He looked at the time and noted that there were still hours before the sideshow started. Apparently Prim Hemline still had a card to play and had her protégé handle it.

"Everything in order?" A voice asked to which he gasped.

"Lesty?" Sombra felt like his breath was taken away by some magic when his eyes fell upon her. The formal shirt and pants she constantly wore was now replaced with a gorgeous deep blue dress with a moon glittered pattern on the lower area. Her well-toned body stretched out the dress in all the right places and you could tell some of the passersby were staring. "W… wow."

"Do you think I overdressed?"

Shove the thought into an airlock and throw it into space!

"N… no! Not at all." He gestured to several models in the back row. "You fit in perfectly around here. But… you're a bit early. The pageant isn't starting for a few hours."

"I figured seeing as you wanted me as morale support, I thought I'd come in and see wizard behind the curtains."

Sombra laughed, failing to hide his reddened cheeks. "Well you certainly got me fired up." The woman raised a brow. "Ah… I mean… motivated. That's right. Motivated. That's what I meant to say." He coughed into his hand as he approached. "Kind of reminds me of those good old days back in school."

"You mean the time when you wore both a bowtie and a tie?"

"Need I remind you? That was my mother's fault. Not mine."

"Technically adding a bowtie to a tie makes it a double tie." Another voice interjected coming from a gentleman in a vintage suit. "There's nothing to be ashamed of being daring in fashion. After all I made one myself."

"Fancy Pants! You made it." Sombra greeted back patting the fancy looking stud with a sophisticated mustache. He practically looked like a nobleman from the renaissance age. "I thought you were still busy signing autographs."

"I've filled my quota of one hundred signatures." He replied, stretching his wrist. "Can't be too generous or my brand would simply lose its value."

"Well it's good to see you old friend." The professor shook hands with the fashion demi-god. "Oh. Fancy. Allow me to introduce to you my good friend from when. This is Celestia. She's now the Principal of Canterlot High."

"Charmed." The fancy man nodded, giving her hand a kiss. "Two Principals in one room? I dread to see what kind of punishment you would give to children who get out of line. Ahehehehe. Ahem… sorry. Bad joke."

"It's… also good to meet you too, Mister… Pants?"

"Please. Just call me Fancy." He insisted. "Any friend of Sombra is here is a friend of mine. Why… we're practically brothers in arms since your expedition into the Foalaskan snowy desert."

"Fancy was looking for a new inspiration for his winter lineup a few years back." Sombra explained. "I told him I was heading the expedition for the lost city of Yakistown in Yakyakistan who were famous for their coats. I never would've found it without his help."

"Oh please. You give yourself too little credit, old friend. Anyone could've spilled that hot soup randomly which revealed the cavern entrance of the great city. Why if it wasn't for your discovery, I never would've had that flash of inspiration to combine both our modern technology and the primitive history into one magnificent piece." He shed an imaginary tear for effect.

"That uh… sounds… interesting." Celestia cocked a brow.

"It was one of my finest work I tell you. The cuffs were hand-stitched together to give the wearer the most pleasant feeling at all times."

"And that's why you'll always be… second rate." Another cocky voice interjected which came from the marvelously dazzling man with silver hair wearing purple shades and a gray blazer which fit him almost too perfectly. "You never were one for imaginations."

"Hoity… Toity." Fancy Pants growled lowly just enough to be heard. "I thought I smelled mediocrity for a moment. Turns out it's just you."

"Ha! Oh so very original. How long did it take you to come up with that?" HT strutted them, smiling beautifully for the cameras as he approached. "I see you're still wearing the dullness on your sleeves. You're so behind, Fancy. Don't you know that cuffs are yesterday's trend? This is the age of collars and frills."

"Oh sure. Like that last one you made that nearly suffocated your models?"

Hoity fumed. "Th… that was an error on the calculations! And mind you, that was simply an experiment. You can't craft perfection without breaking a few eggs. Unlike you fancy coat that had two buttons too many."

"It was for diversity in adjustment!" He reasoned back. "You can keep your collars and your frills. People actually prefer clothes that are comfortable and stylish. Not like your prison uniforms. You could use some cuffs to spec that wrist of yours!"

"Oh you mean this?" Hoity Toity flexed his wrist at them. "I was busy writing thousands of autographs. I have to get my name out there after all. I must've reached a thousand by now."

"Ha! What's in a name if it doesn't have value!?"

"A name that is chanted across the world. Unlike you, old man."

"Old!? Why I'll tell you…"

"Boys. Boys!" Sombra stopped them before gesturing to the cameras in which the two immediately altered their expressions to fair for the newspaper. "Let's not bring out old wounds. This is a pageant I'm hosting and I'd very much love to share it with my old friends. I won't ask you to bury the hatchet but can we at least have a truce for a short moment? Just for tonight?"

They looked at one another and huffed like children.

Hoity Toity answered first, arms folding. "Fine. But only because you're helping me open a branch here in Canterlot."

"WHAT?!" Fancy Pants held a curse back which made his ex-partner grin.

"Oh? Didn't you hear? I'm planning to open a branch of my brand here in Canterlot City. It's a very mysterious place with a lot of untapped potential and Sombra here offered to help. He's been really sporty about it."

"Only because I owe you for that expedition in Marewood. I wouldn't have found the Treasure Armada without your help."

"And besides… I have an eye for these things. Which is why he asked me to be part of this pageant. I simply don't understand why he'd ask you."

"Oh that's it you little."

"Gentlemen, please." Celestia jumped in before the haymaker started throwing. "Remember, we're still in public. Why don't we all settle in for a while before the main show starts?"

Again they darted one another like two cats hissing for dominance over the area.

"Fine!"

**(Ice cream parlor)**

There have been many great mysteries here in Canterlot City. One could say that it had a culture of magic and mysticism back in its days. Even now, many elderly folks would claim they've seen the great yeti in the forest or the multi-headed hydra by the river banks or maybe the ghosts haunting the old cemetery in the old town yonder. All of them were tales worth telling – and all of them worth passing down from parent to child.

But all of them paled in comparison to the unexplainable legend of the black hole that wanders around town. Bakers and restaurant owners know of it. They dread it, fear it… but at the same time welcome reluctantly with open arms. Because they know they cannot fight it.

That ungodly force of nature that is… Pinkie Pie.

Flash watched as the girl practically inhaled what was once a sixteen scoop ice cream platter with triple frosting whipped cream doubled with bananas. An ordinary human would take hours to consume such a feat but Pinkie here gobbled in up before it even started to melt. How she doesn't suffer brain freeze or toothache after all that sweet was a mystery no amount of science or magic will ever be able to solve.

"I have to ask." He whispered to Maud who was perfectly content with her donut. Though she was mostly just feeding it to Boulder. "Where does all of that go?"

"I stopped trying to make sense of it a long time ago." She shrugged. "You learn to phase it out after a while. Trust me. You'll save your sanity later on."

"Huh… I guess there are just some mysteries that doesn't need explaining." He noted Pinkie eyeing his share which he gladly pushed away in her direction.

"Speaking of food. Mind telling me how the date went?" Maud asked turning the table around metaphorically. She ignored her sister's glare turning to Flash who blushed back. "Pinkie here wouldn't say a word about it but I'm willing to bet you'd have something to say."

"O… oh… well…"

"Hey! Maud!" Pinkie scolded. "What did we talk about meddling into your sibling's private business?"

"You meddle with me and Mudbriar all the time." Maud countered.

Ok she might be right there but she was only doing it to get to know the guy better. Seriously the guy was had the strangest obsession with wood – or to be more precise: Sticks.

Don't ask.

"And technically I'm not meddling in your private business, I'm meddling in Flash's business." That was a poor excuse and she knew it. "I want to know how it went through his perspective. Besides, is it wrong for your big sister to be worried about your love life? I'm just making sure that he's treating you properly and protect you from potential danger. I'm only doing my sisterly duty. Isn't that right Flash?"

"That's… a loaded question, isn't it?" He added smiling weakly much to Maud's displeasure. "Besides, that was a one shot thing between our parents. We only did it because they insisted. I seriously doubt Pinkie would ever want to date me again."

_Well… that's not… entirely true._

"Is that true Pinkie?" The stoic gal asked to her bubbly sister who flinched at her question. "If you had a chance to take this charmingly handsome boy out on a second date, would you take it?"

Pinkie opened her mouth and opened it twice. But sadly no words came. She looked at the boy in question seeing his cool-goofy smile shine at her. It's not like she wouldn't want to… it's just… inappropriate.

Sure, Flash was a cool guy to hang out with and he is pretty cute. She could totally picture the two of them together again. Though not in a fancy dress or suit… and definitely not in another fancy restaurant like the Huffs and Hooves. She'd prefer a simple diner, or maybe an ice cream parlor like this. They'd come in as a couple, hold hands, tell jokes, he'd laugh at what she says and she'd laugh at what he says. They'd dance over the jukebox, and they'd take a drive to the hill overlooking the city where they would spend the evening watching the sun go down. Then Flash would take her by the shoulder and…

Whoa! Hold on a second there. Too much. That was just way too much!

Pinkie's face turned red as those images crossed her mind. She tried to brush them off only to realize that she had been silent for the last minute.

"Pinkie?"

"I uh…" Her face flushed while one finger twirled around her hair. "I couldn't wouldn't exactly… not say no." Wait… was that a triple or quadruple negative? They couldn't tell.

"So that's a no?"

"No!" She yelped. "I mean… yes? Maybe? Which answer will make me look better?"

Maud grinned. "I think you just answered your own question." Oh she was definitely enjoying this. Maud might have the expression of a stone but she certainly have the wit of a villain. If anything, Pinkie might think that she was actually entertained by her misery. "See that Flash? I think you two have a good start."

The boy chuckled awkwardly. No! Don't blush! You're just making things worse.

But thankfully before Maud could add more fuel to their fire, her hair began to vibrate. She reached in and pulled out her phone. She noted the name on the screen and answered. "Uh… hello?"

_"WHERE ARE YOU!?"_ The voice on the other line practically blasted in full pitch blowing her hair like a dryer.

Pinkie reaffirmed herself before answering. "Rarity? I'm at the ice cream parlor. What's wrong?"

_"What's wrong!?"_ The dress maker asked, her tone practically bearing fangs at this point. _"What's wrong is that you were supposed to be at the backstage right this very minute!"_

"Now? But the pageant show doesn't start in a few hours."

_"Yes darling – pageant show doesn't. But my sideshow starts in fifteen minutes!" _She screamed again, this time the phone practically spraying spit at her. _"I am already stressed enough as it is with all of this, not to mention that two of the biggest stars in the industry are visiting. So please do not add fuel to my fire." _The girl breathed out using some old meditation technique which doesn't appear to be working. _"Allow me to put it in laymen terms. You either get over here right now or GUMMY HERE WILL BE THE FIRST ORPHANED ALIGATOR WHO WILL BE WALKING SOLO ON MY CATWALK!"_

That wasn't laymen. That was a downright threat.

Pinkie looked up to her friends and quickly gobbled the remains of her platter. "Sorry! Gotta run! Rarity needs me!" And without even waiting for a response she bolted out the door with such speed that would give Rainbow Dash a run for her magic. "Gummy! Wait! Don't leave without me!"

The remaining two looked at one another oddly.

"Should we follow her?"

The stoic lady shrugged.

**(Square)**

"I gotta admit, you weren't kidding when you said you've done this before." Sunset stated giving an admirable gesture to Adagio. Their shift at the sushi store had just ended and much to her surprise, there really wasn't a lot to teach her. The Siren boss practically knew everything there was to waitressing. While her attitude left something to be desired, she at least knew how to wait on tables without using some snappy words to scare the customers away, take orders and post them on the kitchen and remember table numbers by heart. Heck, she'd probably be teaching her if she joined the sushi store a week earlier.

"I've waited tables in far more prestigious places before. I know the rules and regulations."

"Your pronunciation of the sushi could use some work though. But I think those will just come naturally. You just have to learn the dialect. Give it time and you'll be able to tell the difference between a temaki and sashimi by the end of the month."

"Oh goody. I can't wait." She groaned lowly eyeing the location they were heading next. "Must we really attend this thing? I don't understand the necessity of this. We can make it to the museum and have plenty of time before the sun goes down."

"And miss once in a lifetime viewing? Not a chance. I mean… where else would you get to see animals wearing costumes?"

"You came from Equestria." Adagio reminded her. "I think that speaks volume."

Ah… well… she was technically not wrong in that regard. There were plenty of ponies and other creatures back there that wore costumes that matched their personality and cutie-marks. But it just wasn't the same.

"Well… that's different." She replied though the Siren had a look that stated that she didn't believe that for one second. "Just watch, alright? My friend put a lot of effort in this. The least you can do is clap."

The woman rolled her eyes. "I'll be sure to put on a performance."

The lights then dimmed replaced by a multitude of colors that danced around the runway. The fog machine quickly sputtered, engulfing half the stage in a thick mysterious mist. It was amazing how the power of technology can create such wonder that would be equal or greater than magic itself.

"Ladies and gentlemen…" Rarity's voice echoed across the speakers garnering the attention of the audience. No doubt that gal had been rehearsing that line to perfection. "Visitors from near and far. Allow me to dazzle you all today with the side show performance. Coming to you from your very own local Canterlot City, please welcome my troupe as they present: Rarity for You!"

And just like that the show was on.

**(Much later) (Outside the mall)**

Flash slumped down on the bench that evening breathing a sigh of relief. It seems like the entire city population had decided to squeeze themselves into the mall leaving the whole place practically abandoned. There was not a soul to be seen or heard save but the few animals that were left prowling around.

By now the pageant show was probably at full swing. He could hear the crowd inside gasping and gawking loudly while the DJ blast some heavy beats to match it. No doubt some main headliner was throwing everything he had on the pageant revealing some godly design for all to see. Either that… or one of the models just tripped on the runway which would undoubtedly embarrass everyone around.

"Why… hello darling." A soothing yet seductive voice chattered him up by surprise. "You come here often?"

"Rarity?" The boy's eyes widened as he turned to the figure. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with your boss basking in some of that glory you keep talking about."

The fashion designer strutted over to his side offering a can of carbonated drink to which he accepted. "Oh I will. I'm just taking a little break after my sideshow. But even a rising star like myself often have to come down for air. It's just natural."

"Well the air is free." He scooted over, giving her room to sit. "Did everything work out?"

"More than I could ever hope for. Everyone performed admirably, especially Bulk. Who knew that a brick like him would look so regal in a musketeer's outfit?" Oh he saw that too. The big overly muscled boy donned an infantry attire with cape, rapier, feathered hat and everything. His dog, Wooyoo also played the part as his sidekick with a similar uniform who practically captured the heart of the crowd. They practically went wild for him. And if he didn't know better, his father might've actually been impressed by it.

"Tell me about it." He smiled warmly at her. "And in my opinion: Your designs look way better than whatever they put on stage."

Rarity gave him gentle nod. "Thank you darling. But even I know that my designs are still paling compared to whatever Ms. Hemline and the other designers put on stage. Why, the fabric alone made them sparkle like gemstones. And that only motivates me to strive to be even better. By next year, I will make something that would outshine even the best of them!"

"Then I guess I know who to vouch for in the next pageant show."

"Oh now you're just being sly." She chuckled cutely as her hands slid to her drink. "But I didn't just come here for a bit of air or to hear compliments from you." She didn't? That didn't sound like the Rarity he knew. She loved getting praises. "In truth I came here to thank you in person."

"Me?" He blinked. "For what?"

"Oh don't be so modest." She patted him on the back as he flipped open his drink. "Fluttershy told me everything about your little scheme. I could scarcely believe it if I didn't see them myself."

Flash chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. "Well… I figured you could use some help. Besides I didn't do much. I just called a bunch of my friends and told them that you needed help. No biggie."

"Yet you did it anyway. All for me."

He blushed. "I… didn't want to see all those beautiful designs of yours to go to waste. You worked really hard on all of them and it'd be a shame if you didn't get your time to shine."

"Flash, darling." Her hand reached out for his as she spoke softly to his face. "You don't need to make an excuse for helping me. I find it to be the sweetest thing you have ever done. I never would've thought of asking all of my friends from school to take time off their busy schedule to help me – and I really can't thank you enough for it."

"Well… I did say I always wanted to help you girls. You face magical adventures almost on a daily basis. I thought you could use a little help to make life easier."

"Well you certainly succeeded in that regard." Rarity added taking a sip from her drink. Her eyes fell softly on the boy beside her, a natural feeling thumping in her chest. "Normally I'd show my thanks to my friends with clothes, shoes and other accessories I can get my hands on. But you don't appear to be the type who enjoys such things."

"Hey seeing you girls happy is enough for me."

"Perish such thoughts darling." She brushed her hand up as if blowing away an imaginary thought-bubble. "If anyone's showing generosity around here, it will be me. I don't care what you people say about chivalry, I won't allow good deeds go unrewarded in this town."

"Heh. Seriously Rarity. You don't ha-" His voice clogged in his lungs when he felt the fashionista's soft and tender lips press against his cheek caressing it like a lover's touch. She planted it there for barely a minute yet it felt like eternities flew by when she finally released.

"It's not the adequate reward I wanted to give you but it will do for now." The little girl stated softly, grinning sheepishly at him. It took a while for his brain to return to its function having to mentally reboot itself from the sheer overload of information.

The gob smacked boy sat there, stunned, eyes bulging from their sockets. He brought his hand up to his face feeling the texture of her lipstick as he brought it forward seeing the red stain on two of his fingers, finally putting it down to stare at the flustered and embarrassed Rarity, who quickly looked away.

"A… anyway. I should probably be going." She announced, standing up from her seat, still facing away from him, both of them failing to notice her pony ears and tails slowly glittering on her body. "The pageant is still going on and I wouldn't want to miss out on Ms. Hemline winning the show. Tata."

Flash could do nothing but watch as she strutted away, the girl desperately trying to hide the fact that she was going a little faster than normally. Her silhouette vanished through the doors of the mall as the sound of the crowd grew even louder than before. The boy sat still, his drink slipping from his fingers when his face turned redder than a rose.

A single phrase ran through his mind

…

… totally… worth it.

**(Evening) (Natural History Museum)**

Twilight took a deep breath as she walked to the entrance of the museum. It has been a while since she came here. During her last visit she was practically apprehended by two burly security guards who were ready to throw her back out like some street-rat. Luckily Flash was there to get her out of a jam. And much to her surprise, that night viewing all those ancient relics from a lost civilization was pretty fun.

"Alright. Got everything you need?" Sunset inquired as she got off the taxi.

Twilight quickly ran her hand through her backpack pulling out her magic tracker. "All's in order. I got my magic scanner, energy reader, flashlight for emergencies and my handy dandy voice recorder."

"Voice recorder? What do we need a voice recorder for?"

"For scientific recording, obviously. Like this." She played an example, pressing the red button. "Vice President Twilight Sparkle of the C.I.C. Magic journal entry #1: Arrived at museum of natural history to investigate the magical energy disturbance. Will continue search for any magical properties left behind. End recording." She added that last part with another click, smiling over at Sunset. "What do you think?"

"I think you really need to stop watching those documentary channels. Heh. It's too bad we couldn't celebrate with Rarity for a job well done. She put a lot of effort on her sideshow than I thought."

But the bespectacled gal waved it off. "Oh don't worry about it. I'm sure she'll understand that our investigation here is very important. We'll make it up to her another time. Besides, Pinkie Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are with her. They'll have a blast even without us."

"Heh… you're probably right." She nodded. "So anyway. Maud said that the team handling the new wing are working overtime today. Ms. Cinch should also be there. So we need to hurry if we want to catch them."

"Uh huh. Just one quick question." Twilight pointed her finger at the stranger behind them. "What is she doing here?"

"Subtle." Adagio scoffed, checking her nails like they were more important.

"Adagio said that she wanted to help out so I thought I'd bring her along just in case. It never hurts to have numbers on our side. Besides, if we get into trouble, we can at least count on her for backup."

"And you're sure she won't stab us in the back like an actual villain?"

The woman glared boringly at them. "I'm not deaf you know."

"Relax Twilight. She's cool. Just give her a chance. You told me that we shouldn't judge people because of their past."

Twilight eyed the Siren not really sure if they were trustworthy. But sadly time wasn't on their side. "Fine. As long as she promise not to break any more historical relics."

"Deal."

"Hooray~ for team." She waved out sarcastically.

Their investigation would've been rather spontaneous too. But before they could even set one foot inside the museum they were stopped by three large guards.

"Uh hi." Sunset greeted weakly. "We'd like to see the exhibit."

"Sorry Miss. But the museum is closed for the day. Curator's orders."

"Closed?" Twilight questioned as she looked at the timer on her phone. "But it's barely passed five. You can't be closed now."

"Sorry but that's what they told us. Only staff and construction workers are allowed. This is for your safety so please come again when we're open on Monday."

The trio looked at each other with a giant question on their heads. They wanted to argue but decided not to press their luck on the giant hulking security guards. Quietly they left, heading to the local store next door.

Adagio spoke first bitterly. "Well that was a big waste of time. So much for our investigation."

"Maud didn't say anything about the museum closing early." Sunset stated folding her arms together. "This is very suspicious."

"They're probably just doing this to keep people like us safe. It is a massive project after all." Twilight reasoned. "We can't expect everything to go our way all the time. It's probably just a coincidence. Why don't we try again on Monday and see where it goes?"

"That… does seem like the only thing we can do."

"Why don't we just sneak in?"

"What!?" Twilight turned to the Siren who made that suggestion. "Are you crazy? We can't just walk into a place we're not supposed to. That's called breaking and entering! We can get into serious trouble for doing that!"

"I don't see what you're worried about. I do it all the time." That statement was more volatile than she realized.

"You what!?"

"Easy Twilight." Sunset stopped her. "Remember we're all on the same side here. But yeah – sorry Adagio, but we're not breaking into the museum." _As cool as it might actually sound._ "Let's all take a break and we can come back on Monday. We can enter the place legally then. Alright?"

"Hmph. Fine. But you're paying for the taxi. My income isn't exactly covering my…" But just as they were about to turn in for the night, that same uncomfortable feeling came again. The three of them froze on their tracks as electrical equipment around them went haywire. Parked cars began to blare out alarms, streets lights flickered and even their phones died out. "Please tell me you felt that."

"That magic." Sunset recognized it, her body shivering from the energy surge. "It's the same one I felt from back then. And… it came from inside." They all eyed the building just as the commotion in the area slowly began to die down. "But how is that possible? The relics are supposed to be in Flash's place."

"Either you're wrong or someone decided to use that magic to cast a spell. And a powerful one." Adagio nodded, her brow curling downward. "I don't recognize it though."

"We have to get in there. Whoever is using it is our culprit and the one responsible for all these attacks."

"You're really planning to break in!?" Twilight screamed in panic. "Have you gone mental!?"

"Twilight, this is our one time chance to find out who's responsible for all these attacks! We need to go in now or never."

Twilight gave it a thought, biting her nails. While she did want to find the culprit, breaking and entering would ruin her perfect record. If they're caught they might be turned in to the police and her parents will find out!

After twiddling her thumbs for a few seconds she finally decided. "Alright fine. But how do we get in? Those guards aren't gonna let us through."

Adagio grinned. "Leave that to me."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Ugh… four hours until the end of shift. I don't know how much more I can take, just standing here."

"Oh stop whining." The guard sitting by the information booth groaned, rubbing his aching neck. "It's bad enough we just stand around here doing nothing. I don't need to hear you complain about it all the time."

"Easy for you to say. You get to sit around watching camera go left and right."

"Hey! It's still a job. And it's a lot harder to keep an eye over everything."

"Why don't we trade places and see who has it harder?"

The guard with the coffee scoffed. "What? No! Why in the world would I want to trade places with you? You can't even keep your own eyes open for twenty minutes."

"Oh! So you think you can do better?"

"I know I can do better." He irritably added.

Before long the three guards began to argue at one another, anger and irritation rising in their chest like they were being influenced by some kind of magic. And in the midst of their argument, the three girls slipped through their watch like a bunch of cat burglars.

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight was amazed how easily three large men fell enamored by the Siren's call. While she never saw how it worked on a large scale before, she can't deny how effective Adagio's powers were. In just one stanza she made those guards bicker like school children.

"Wow Adagio." Sunset sounded awfully impressed. "I almost forgot how powerful your voice can be."

"You'd be amazed how often we use it to get what we want around here." The Siren smirked. "They can be quite… ugh…"

Sunset reached out quickly when she saw the girl fumble on her step. "Whoa. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Just… a little weak. I haven't eaten in days."

"Oh." Sunset ruffled through her pocket. "I have a candy bar."

She brushed the unicorn off. "I meant magic, you idiot. You can't compare candy to the sweet nourishing power of magical energy."

"Because you're creatures of magic, right?" Twilight recalled. "You feed on it."

"Because we need it to survive." She corrected. "Never mind. Forget it. Let's just find this magic user and be done with this. The faster things go back to normal, the faster I can get my job back at the Sleepy Sirens."

They all agreed on that and hastily made their way to the back of the museum through the restricted area where the new wing of museum was being made. There were a few construction workers hanging about but none of them seemed to be aware of their presence. They were far more concerned on their task to pay them any mind.

When they arrived at the Yaztec exhibition, Twilight could tell something was amiss here. Just like her friend, the nerd gal felt every fiber of her being standing at attention. A voice at the back of her mind screamed at her to run out of there and don't look back. The atmosphere and ambience alone made the hair on her neck stand on ends. It was like this very area was giving off an aura of danger.

"This is the new wing of the museum?" She gawked both in disbelief and fear. "Looks kind of… creepy."

"I know, right?" Sunset agreed wholeheartedly. "I don't know what it is about this place but every time I look at it, it just feels… wrong somehow. Maud said that they were trying to get the feeling of the old Yaztec civilization or something."

"Well if they were going for the creepy shamanistic culture of the people, I guess they got it." Twilight shivered. "But this doesn't look like any kind of museum wing I've ever seen before."

"That's because it's a ritual ground." The two of them turned to Adagio who made that comment. "A ritual ground? Don't tell me you've never seen one before." Twilight and Sunset looked at each other confused much to the Siren's annoyance. "Ugh. Seriously? How in the world did I ever lose to you?" She pranced over to the side of the main hall where the raised platform was built. "You know how magic and spells work right?"

Sunset nodded. "Of course. Magic is the energy used to power spells. Our bodies are the tools that are used to convert them."

"Correct. But you must also remember that your frail human bodies can only take so much magic. Use too much and you'll break down. Ritual grounds like these are made to channel large amount of magic using them as mediums to use more powerful spells. With the right materials, timing and location, they can be used to conjure sorcery of the greatest kind."

"Like… the elements of harmony!"

"Bingo." Adagio nodded. "Your geodes are also vessels though on a lesser scale. This however…" She gestured to the platform. "… this is way bigger. Whoever designed this wing surely knows what they were doing."

"Can you tell us what they're planning?" Twilight asked. "Any information will be helpful right now."

The Siren leader quickly looked around and shrugged. "From what I can tell, this whole wing appears to be a chamber of some kind. Each hallway is meant direct energy to the object at the main platform like a focal point. And judging that there's only one window on that side, the spell being used here will require either the sun or moon to be at a very precise angle."

Twilight's eyes shot up. "Did you say the sun or moon?"

"Yeah. I think it's a catalyst. Something to refine the magic quickly. But it would require very precise timing."

Sunset noted her friend's expression. "Is something wrong Twilight?"

"Well… the Winter Solstice is coming up two months from now. It comes twice a year and judging from the timing of all of this… I'm starting to believe that it can't be a coincidence. Something big is about to go down and I'm afraid what we might find."

"Don't you worry." The redhead patted her back reassuringly. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it. Now come on. What's your gizmo saying?"

Twilight nodded back. Panicking or worrying about things they didn't understand was pointless. Quietly she reached for her tracker, noting a tick pointing in the direction of the nearby door on the other side of the hall. There were a few people standing there. No doubt part of the archivists group. They didn't seem to notice the girls hiding in the dark. Not yet at least. There were a lot of dark corners here. None of the lights seemed to be working and the sun was dropping fast.

"It seems like the magic energy is coming from that office. We need to sneak by those guys."

"Got it. Adagio. You got enough strength for one more song?"

The woman looked back sighing weakly. "I'll try. Just…"

"Wait!" Twilight whispered, pulling the two of them back just as the said door suddenly opened from within. A familiar figure exited wearing the same scowl she wore since she last saw it. "It… it really is her. Principal Cinch."

"I told you so."

"What is the meaning of this!?" The former Principal yelled out to her crew who cowered at her. "I thought you said that everything was in order."

"We're sorry ma'am. It's just that… we need to realign the old armor set first."

"And I told you those are secondary. The painting and murals are first. The armors are supposed to be secondary."

"We know ma'am. But this order came from the top. He wants all the mannequins dressed up in the armor before his next visit."

Cinch's eye rose. "Professor Sombra said so?"

"Yes ma'am. He made the call just a few hours ago."

The woman groaned, one hand rubbing the temple between her eyes. "Fine. If he insists, then we'll just have to do it first. Come. We'll get the dolls from the storeroom." She brushed pass them leading the men through the darkened corridors.

"Huh… hey wait a second." Twilight tilted her glasses when she spotted something shiny around her former Principal's neck. "Is that…?"

"Come on Twilight." Sunset urged her forward. Taking the chance they rushed towards the door where she struggled with the knob.

"Ugh… figures. It's lock." But to Twilight's surprise, Sunset took point on that. "Uh… what are you doing?"

"Picking out the lock." She answered pulling out a hair pin from her pocket and using it like some post-apocalyptic adventurer. "I did it once when I broke into the Fashion Boutique to change Rarity's window display."

"Uh huh." Twilight cocked a brow. "Should I be worried that my best friend from the other world knows how to pick locks?"

"Hey, I was a very different person back then." She reasoned. "This world was far different from where I came from, ok? I needed a skillset to survive around here. Without my usual magic I couldn't do most of the stuff like I did back home. And speaking of which, pfft. What a joke. This is a Ruther three spring lock-set. These things are pretty much antiques. The door to the school library is twice as tough as this."

"And your uncouth gloating isn't exactly filling me with assurance." Twilight swallowed those questions away when the door opened moments later.

It was a simple office with a desk, computer, a few shelves and a reading light. For some reason this place actually reminded her of the Principal's office back in Crystal Prep. It was dark, cold and with only a single headlamp dangling from on top. One might even say that it was an exact replica. Heck she even had a fresh pot of coffee at the ready and several of her diplomas hanging on the wall. If she didn't know better a rough guess would say she was still clinging to her old position back in her old school.

There was a vent on the side though, perhaps big enough for people to squeeze into.

"Anything?"

Twilight checked her scanners again but tilted her head when she saw the dial spinning wildly. "No doubt about it. We're definitely at the epicenter of where the spell originated from. Quick. Look for anything out of place. Something strange or magical in nature."

"No need to look far." Adagio announced pulling out a strange purple seashell-like object from the drawer of the computer table. "Found it. This thing was practically humming with magic."

"This thing?" Sunset snatched it eyeing the strange object eyeing it carefully. "Wait… I feel like I've seen this thing before. Somewhere. I just can't put my finger on it."

"I can." Twilight declared, grabbing the seashell. Her eyes flared solemnly as she clutched it tightly within her palms. "Because I was the one who made it."

A/N: Happy New Year!


	14. Money Is Magic

**Chapter 14: Money is Magic**

**(Museum of Natural History)**

"You… made that?" Sunset questioned when she finally came to her senses. Twilight cradled the strange object in her hands watching it with a hint of nostalgia. "But… how? When?"

"Remember that old magic tracker I made when we first met during the Friendship Games? The one that sucked out your magic?"

Realization dawned on the girl when she cast her sight back on the shell. Of course. No wonder it looked so familiar. That thing was practically the cause of all their troubles back during the games. It even caused some serious harm too.

"Oh right. I remember now." She nodded back before she threw in a puzzled expression. "Wait… wasn't that thing destroyed when you turned into Midnight Sparkle? We all saw it blew up."

"I know. But there's no mistaking it. This is definitely mine. It even has my initials written on the bottom." She showed the two letters printed at the side. "But that can't be right. I only made one of these prototypes. That could only mean someone must've brought the pieces together and fixed it."

"My money's on the old lady." Adagio chipped in to which Sunset readily agreed.

"I hate to admit it but it seems like you were right Sunset. All the evidence points to her."

"But how did she repair the tracker?" The former unicorn inquired. "I mean… I know she's smart and all but I doubt that Cinch has a P.H.D in magic."

"No doubt she stole the design plans from me." Twilight deduced much to her friend's confusion. "Right when I transferred to CHS I noticed some of my personal belongings went missing from Crystal Prep. Nothing important. Just a few trinkets and outdated research notes. I thought they were just misplaced. I never really thought of them since then. But looking back at it now I'm think Professor Cinch might've taken them. That data drive I saw her wearing is definitely one of mine. It contained some of my theorems and magic energy research."

"Knowledge of magic, power, motive and theft? This woman is beyond guilty at this point. So what do we do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The Siren ruffed back in a battle tone. "We take her down. I say we ambush her right here. She won't even see us coming."

"No." Thankfully Twilight came in with the voice of reason. "We can't confront her. Not until we know the full scope of her powers… or what her plans are. We should discuss this with the others and come up with a strategy. If Cinch used the magic in this tracker, a big bet would say she summoned that shadow monster again. We're in no position to fight her, especially with the sun going down."

"I'm with you on that." Sunset agreed. "Besides, if we start a fight here we'll be damaging countless priceless artifacts. And yes… present company included." Adagio rolled her eyes in response. "Now let's get out of here. We wouldn't want to overstay our… wel…" She froze when she heard a familiar voice coming from outside.

"Wait one moment. I forgot something in my office. Just put the armor set over there and arrange them in age-order."

"Yes ma'am."

"Oh no! It's Cinch!" The redhead whispered in panic.

"What do we do!?"

The knob fiddled as the woman groaned on the other end.

"Ugh. Stupid antique locks. All the money we made from the fundraising and Sombra can't even afford to improve security around here."

"She's coming in!"

A few seconds later, the door burst open.

…

"Hmm?" Cinch raised a brow as she scanned her office, her body shivered from the draft that came through. "Hmph. I'll have to add better ventilation to the budget."

xxxxxxxxxx

Adagio gasped for air when she punched the vent, dropping out of the pipeline and into the pile of trash below along with the two idiots that came along. It was a simple idea, a trifle one, maybe even cliché. But it worked. They were lucky that the vents inside weren't shielded. No doubt a side effect of construction. If they were, they'd been caught in seconds. And who knows what that old lady would've done to them?

Still… they were able to get away safely and without anyone knowing.

Who knew that all those spy movies that Aria watched would actually be useful?

"It's clear."

"Phew. That… that was close." The nerd girl plopped out of the trash, grateful that they weren't caught but also disgusted about that banana peel on her head. Getting caught there wouldn't only be bad for her but it would also be the most awkward reunion with her former Principal. "A few more seconds and we would've been caught. You ok Sunset?"

"Are you kidding? That. Was. AWESOME!" Sunset boomed excitedly when she got her head out of the trash bin. "I've always wanted to go through the air vents like those spies in the movies! That was totally exhilarating! I can't wait to tell Pinkie Pie about this! She's gonna be so jealous! Sure it might not be as glamorous with the trash and all but hey… we totally snuck in and out of that place like real secret agents! You think next time we could bring a few gadgets? Like like… a suction cup gloves, or jet packs or or or or or that surveillance camera drone? No wait! _Grappling hooks~"_

"Sunset? Hello?" Twilight waved her hand in front of her delusional friend. "Sunset! Shadow monster? Cinch? Magical chaos?"

"Ah… right right. Sorry. Just got caught in the mood for a second there. But you gotta admit that was super fun." They glanced up to the sky noting the disappearing sunlight. "We should probably also head home before this place turns into the wolf's hunting ground. Catch up with you tomorrow?"

She nodded back holding the old tracker in hand. "Absolutely. Now that I got this baby, I can probably figure out what Cinch is planning."

"Wait what!?" Adagio burst. "You took that thing with you!? What were you thinking!?"

"Uh… I was thinking that I didn't want to leave such a dangerous device in the hands of someone like Cinch."

"Are you serious!? Don't you know what you just did? The moment she finds that thing missing from her room she'll know that someone broke into her office! She'll be even more on guard now when she realizes that her precious thingamabob was stolen."

Ah… right. That actually sounded pretty logical.

"W… well… technically we didn't steal. This thing was mine to begin with so we only committed one infraction. And no one got hurt."

"Not yet."

"Ok ok. Enough Adagio." Sunset raised her hand up to stop her. "There were a few bumps along this mission but at least now we know who's behind these attacks. That's better that we hoped for."

"Hey. Did you hear something?" A guard-like voice from the alley spoke. Cones of light dangled closely. "It came from over there."

"And that's our cue. Go go GO!"

**(Town Hall)**

The Town Hall of the City was about the same as Celestia remembered it when she visited it a few years back. It was still the center of governance here in Canterlot City and where many representatives from various districts come to complain and whine about their needs and such. Today however it seems like this place has been converted to accommodate a small gathering.

And Sombra wasn't kidding when he said that this party would include a lot of important people. You can't take two steps around here without bumping onto a celebrity or a senator… or maybe even both at the same time. This was practically a prime hotspot for politicians to mingle with one another. If you look close enough, you'll see folks here give half-baked promises, alluring smiles, shake hands one moment and cross their fingers with the other. Heck, some of them might even be arranging marriages already.

"Care to share a drink, Principal Celestia?" A familiar figure approached her with a cocktail in hand.

"Ms. Mayor." She greeted back with a smile. "I'd be honored."

The slightly older woman took her place by the Principal's side eyeing the folks at the party. Her hair was graying out but her figure was still as slender, honed through years of discipline and hard work. She wore these sophisticated glasses and a green scarf that complimented her dress suit.

"A wonderful party you have here."

"Thank you dear. But I'm afraid it may be the last one I'll be hosting in the town hall. Elections are coming next year and the competition is quite… strong."

"Oh don't be so dramatic, mayor. You've handled tougher opponents before and came out on top for three terms now. I'm sure you can deal with whatever comes your way."

"I've dealt with politicians, celebrities and other ambitious people before." The mayor agreed. "But I seriously doubt I'll be able to match your date." She pointed her gray hair over to Sombra who was surrounded by several high-class looking folk and impressively darting his head around dangling 9 separate conversations without pause.

So it was true.

Celestia heard the rumors about Sombra running for mayor. Using his nearly limitless finances and connections across the world, he was able to build a power base throughout the city, securing a comfortable position in the race.

"He really is running for mayor then."

The lady beside her nodded. "Yup. He's barely been back for a month and already he's making waves. That kind of power doesn't just come up without effort. I mean… look over there." She pointed to the long bearded man who dressed like a noble from a foreign nation. "See that man over there having a hearty talk with Sombra? That's the ambassador from Shire Lanka. He flew in all the way here just to visit him. Not the City, not me – Him."

"That… is amazing." Having dignitaries come and visit you from far away does make for a great influence.

"You bet it is. I can hardly get my secretary out of bed to get her to work." The Mayor sighed. "Well I suppose it was nice while it lasted. I guess running for more than a decade should be good enough for my legacy. But don't go thinking I'll be going without a fight. If Sombra wants my chair, I'll be sure to fight him tooth and nail for it."

"I'm certain he won't pull any punches."

**(Sunday) (Morning) (Movie house)**

"Oh dear oh dear oh dear!" Fluttershy sprinted across the street as she tried to fix her bedhead. She frantically looked between the road and her watch like a very peculiar rabbit that was late. "Of all the days to oversleep. I knew I was forgetting something!" She quickened her pace again but immediately came to a stop when the stop light turned red. The animal lover began to panic and trotted over the concrete floor ignoring the multiple stares she was getting from the pedestrians. "Come on, come on, come on, come on! I'm going to be late!"

Thankfully the signal was quick and she hastily took advantage when it turned green. Once she was on the other side, she spotted her mark just a quick jog away. His blue hair was easily picked out in amongst the crowd. She cooled her jets and eased her pace feeling a hint of relief spreading in her heart.

The boy spotted her back and waved, beckoning her to approach. "Hey Fluttershy." He greeted, taking note of her panting breath. "What happened to you? You look exhausted."

"No… parking… at… the parking lot." She said between pants before her breath finally caught up. "I'm so sorry. It's just that I forgot to set up my alarm last night. I don't really do much on Sundays. Am I… too late?"

"Not at all." Flash smiled. "We got a good 15 minutes before the next show." He gestured her over to his side. "How are things back at the pet store? Is everything ok?"

"Well, the pets won't be getting adopted while they're sick. But at least the worst is over. Ms. Cureall is busy replacing all the old food stock we had to throw out so I'm helping out whenever I can."

"That's a relief." He sighed. "Those animals at the store are lucky to have you."

"Oh please. You're too kind. I'm just happy to be around animals." The soft talking girl replied giggling cutely. "We should… probably get our tickets before they sell out." But just as they approach the ticket booth, the two of them quickly realized the customer at the front. "Rainbow Dash? Is that you?"

The athlete panicked at her voice and dropped to a stance. "Oh! F… Fluttershy. Flash. Wh… what are you two doing here?"

"I invited Flash to watch a movie with me. Are you here to watch the new Daring Do movie too?" What is she talking about? Of course she is! Why else would she be here?

Rainbow blinked… and then laughed awkwardly. "Ahehe… y… yeah. You know me. Always first in line for all her shows. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Hehehe."

But then the worker at the ticket booth appeared facing them. "Sorry Rainbow Dash. But I'm afraid we're no longer showing Fangshire 3. The last one was yesterday."

Fangshire 3? Fluttershy recognized the title. It was the third installment of an old classical love story between two ancient rivals and a girl who was caught in the middle of the war.

Rainbow's face froze as she refused to make eye contact with the ticket man. "Ah… pfft. I aheh… I'm don't know what you're talking about, good… sir. I'm pretty sure I was asking for the next screening of Daring Do and the Terracotta Army." The boy in the booth cocked a confused look as she leaned in to whisper. "Seriously?! But the posters said that they'll be on all weekend! There has to be one left!"

"I'm sorry Dash. But I checked all our screening and the screening of the other theaters. None of them will be showing Fangshire 3. That movie barely pulled in any customers at all. That's why they decided to pull the plug early to make more room for the new Daring Do flick."

"Oh come on! Can't you make an exception for me just this once? Please? I've been a loyal customer since I was in the ninth grade! I'm begging you here!"

"Sorry Rainbow. But that's out of my hands." He shook his head much to her dejection. "I can offer you and your friends a discount on the new Daring Do movie though."

Rainbow slumped down in disappointment. You'd think that a ticket to the new Daring Do movie would make her grin from ear to ear.

"Fangshire?" Flash spoke. "Isn't that the lame love story they made years ago?"

"Fangshire is not lame! It's a classic!" She bolted to his face threatening it with her finger. "People these days have no appreciation for a good story! It's not just some love story. It's a true love story with awesome action sequences. It only got bad reviews because the critics couldn't see the gem hidden inside! So don't diss it until you see it!"

Fluttershy nodded. "I agree. The love between the three main characters is so believable. Claire was so brave despite everything that happened to her."

"I know right!?" Rainbow agreed, quickly changing her tune. "She's a damsel but she's the kind of damsel who can kick butt and take names! You could even say that she was the inspiration of Daring Do."

"And it was so romantic when she finally picked the love she…" She paused when Rainbow's hand pressed her mouth.

"Dude! Don't spoil it! I haven't gotten that far yet! That's the whole reason why I'm here! To watch the last of the trilogy!"

"Wait…" Flash finally put the pieces together. "So you're a fan of Fangshire?"

The sports maniac flinched. She opted to rebuke it again but figured that the cat was already out of the metaphorical bag. "Ugh… fine. Yes I'm a big fan of Fangshire. I watched all the movies including the spin-off and the duology books. All except the third and final movie!" She directed that last part to the ticket boy who cowered behind his booth. "There, ya happy? Go ahead and mock me."

Aww… she looked so adorable when she pouts.

"There's no need to be embarrassed about liking something Rainbow Dash. Though I'm actually surprised you actually liked the movie. I never would've imagined you would be into something so… sweet?"

"I didn't." She groaned. "It's just something my parents forced me to watch on our movie night. It was years ago and I've never even heard of that movie until then. I thought of it to be nothing more than some ordinary vampire movie. But I was wrong and it turned out to be something way better! It had everything: Story, awesome battles, action! That was way better than two Daring Do movies combine!" Those were some big praises especially when it came Rainbow. "And don't even get me started on the love-triangle! Like Count Vladcula and his eternal love for Claire or her friend Wilhelm, who turned out he was a werewolf this whole time. I got so invested into the story that I followed the whole thing. Then I found out that they were re-showing the last installment of the movie this weekend! But… they pulled it out."

"Oh that is unfortunate."

"And who knows when they'll put it back again, if ever!? I've been keeping myself from reading and listening to every spoiler on the internet! I was waiting for this moment! I just… really thought I can finally see the ending."

"Oh don't be sad Rainbow." Fluttershy tried to cheer her up. "I'm sure they'll show it again. If not we can find a copy of it in the video store."

Again the athlete slumped. "I already tried that. But the studio that made the movie went under. They never had the chance to make copies of it." She sobbed. "Ugh… I would do anything to watch it! Anything at all! But I guess that's not gonna happen now."

"Not necessarily." Flash added having an idea pop in. "You two wait right here. I need to make a call." He rushed out to the side of the road, pulling out his phone and dialing his favorite number. "Edmund, it's me."

_"Ah Master Flash. How may I be of assistance?"_

"You mind checking the record room for me? I'm looking for a certain movie, Fangshire 3. The last of the trilogy."

_"Fangshire. Hmmm… yes one moment."_ The sound of ruffling items could be heard in the background. _"Ah yes. Here we are. Fangshire 3: Wilhelm's Rebellion. Starring Ms. Flour. I believe it was one of Master Sombra's favorite. It appears to be in decent condition. No scratches noteworthy."_

"Can you set it up for me?"

_"Absolutely. It will be done."_

"Great. Oh and mind sending the driver to pick me up? I'm bringing some friends over."

_"He's already there, sir."_

And to his truth a car suddenly pulled over, rolling its window to reveal his dad's chauffeur. "You're the best Edmund."

_"Always a pleasure, Master Flash."_

Hanging up his phone, the boy turned over to his friends who eyed him curiously. "Fluttershy. You mind if we make some changes on our plans today?"

"Umm… sure? What did you have in mind?"

A surprise…

**(Twilight's house)**

Sunset considered herself a smart girl. Even though the math and sciences of this world were light years ahead of Equestria she grasped them pretty easily. But compared to Twilight she may as well be mundane.

How that girl can combine magic and technology together in such short notice is a mystery on its own. But she can't deny that it brought in some progress. Heck with everything she's done so far, she could probably earn herself a Nobel Prize – whatever that was.

From what the redhead can tell from a glance it looked like Twilight had been busy constructing… or deconstructing her old tracking device using all of her technological gizmos to take it apart and put it back together. She was so enraptured by it that it looked as if she totally forgot that Sunset was even here.

"Should I…?"

"Please do." Spike pleaded. "She's been on that thing since last night."

Well if her dog commands it, who was she to say no? "Uh… Twilight. You know when I said that we should come up with a plan together? That usually means… the two of us."

The nerd gal jolt up from her work, grinning. "Huh? Oh right. Sorry. I've just been so busy working on this thing. Cinch really did a number on this tracker. She even added some kind of extra function but I can't, for all intent and purposes, figure out what it does. But she was definitely using this to harness raw forms of magic. She must've used it on the Chalice of Wishes at one point to draw power from that artifact."

"That would explain where she got so much magic."

"Yes. But the good news is that I think I found a way to stop her!"

"You did?" She tilted her head sideway. "How?"

"When I brought my old tracker back to my lab, I had a flash of inspiration. Remember how this device used to track and drain Equestrian magic during the Friendship Games?"

"And put all of us in life threatening situations and turned you into Midnight Sparkle?" She reminded earning herself a cute glare. "Not exactly easy to forget."

"Anyway~~ I'm planning to replicate that effect!"

Wait… what?

"Whoa hold on. You say what now? Don't you remember how dangerous that was!?"

But Twilight brushed her hand off. "Oh relax. I tweaked out all the problems and made some adjustments. I reconfigured the systems to trap magic in its purest form. It won't have any effect on the wolf monster seeing that it's already a completed spell. But if Cinch has any more of her magic lying around, we can suck it out of her without lifting a finger."

Wow… that actually sounded… better than what she imagined. While Sunset had some reservations about that thing, she can see the benefit of it. If they had that kind of weapon by their side, Cinch wouldn't stand a chance. Once they defeat her shadow wolf creature, she won't have anything else. She'll have to surrender to them.

"That's… actually pretty good." She admitted hesitantly. "But wouldn't all that magic cause the device to go haywire? What happens when you lose control?"

"I won't. I told you I tweaked out all the problems. After taking a look at my geode, I only needed to improve the spectrometer and added secondary shielding to complete the air-tight sealing. Once the magic goes in here… they don't come out unless I want it to. And once we contain all that magic from Professor Cinch, we can put it somewhere where it won't do any harm and let it disappear naturally." She held the seashell-object forward presenting it like a prize. "I call it… the Magic Trap!" She paused for effect. "You know? Because… it traps magic?"

"Why don't you leave the jokes to Pinkie Pie?" Sunset offered. "But I gotta admit. I can't believe I'm saying this but that's actually a good idea Vice President, Twilight."

She returned a graceful bow. Probably something she practiced when she would accept her Nobel Prize. "Thank you. I was sure you'd approve. Now we just need to test it out." Her eye darted to her best friend. "I don't suppose you're willing to be a test subject."

Sunset frowned but sadly accepted. "I suppose if anyone's gonna get their magic zapped out of them, it might as well be me. What do you want me to do?"

"Just stand right there and do nothing." Without warning Twilight opened the old device and pointed it at her. It hummed to life for a few seconds before emanating a soft light. Sunset then felt something slowly draining out of her. A red hue of sort. The pure essence of Equestrian Magic slipping from her body. Her eyes grew heavy while her mind became light. Seeing this, Twilight quickly closed the device. "So? How do you feel?"

"Ugh… weak. Just like last time. Can't… really… focus."

Twilight panicked. "I must've taken too much. Sorry. Here… let me give it back." After a few button press the device hummed again and reversed the effect. The magic that was taken flowed back with a strange vibe. "How's that?"

"Not… good. Feeling… sick." She grumbled, her hand reaching out to the table to keep herself balanced. "I guess we can say that was a successful test. I'm… just gonna lie down over here for… a minute."

"Ooh… yeah you do that. Looks like Adagio might be right. Our bodies really can't handle that much magic all at once. Want me to get you anything?"

"Juice…" Sunset replied weakly waving one finger up from Spike's pillow. "And… a sandwich. Preferably… jam."

"Coming right up!"

The moment she dashed to the kitchen, Spike suddenly felt a strange shift in the air. He looked around, noting something wrong with Sunset's shadow. It looked… as if it was taking a different shape. Did it just… snarl at him?

Huh… maybe he was hungry too.

**(Flash's home)**

Rainbow Dash had seen giant mansions before. They were a dime a dozen here in Uptown. Overly compensating houses that were made for the rich and famous... or the famously rich. All of them had their own unique style. Some had fancy rooftops, others with privacy walls, large gardens, a menagerie of their own, even a miniature racing ring and Rainbow swore that she even saw one with a giant chess board with a full complimentary life size pieces.

But alas… all of those paled in comparison to the one they arrived. The car they rode in drove passed a large obsidian gate. The road encircled around a giant fountain which was also then surrounded by a magnificently decorated garden with enough flowers to make even Wallflower Blush blush.

And the house itself was three stories tall, made of equal part bricks and cement. It was so huge that it might as well encompass 1/3 of CHS. And… was that an outdoor pool over by the side? Ok, forget it. This house takes the cake! She was so enamored by the whole thing she didn't even realize that they were already out of the car until now.

"My goodness Flash." Fluttershy gasped, finally breaking out of her zone. "You live here? It's so big"

He shrugged. "Eh… I wouldn't really say _'live'_ here exactly. But… yeah I totally live here."

Ok. Be cool Rainbow. You don't need to act surprise. Just be cool. You're the coolest cat of Canterlot. Something like this shouldn't impress you. You've gone through Equestria and back. Seen ponies and a dragon hatchling who live in a castle made out of crystals. You can do this.

"This place is huge!" Rainbow Dash burst out, covering her mouth the next second in barely restrained excitement. "I mean look at this place! You can fit everyone in school here and you'd still have room to dance!"

"It's… not that big." Flash blushed. "We only got like 20 or 25 rooms give or take."

Fluttershy took stock of the walls and turned to the garage door where she caught a glimpse of the super fancy cars all parked neatly in a row. They all looked well maintained and well designed that even Rarity might grow jealous. "Wow… how does your family afford all of this?"

"My dad invests in a lot of stock." That was his quick and precise explanation.

_Mental note. Find out what stocks are and how to invest._ Rainbow Dash saved that to memory.

"Now come on. We don't want to miss the movie. Not that we can. But you never know."

They entered through the finely crafted door and gasped again. The two girls were greeted by a multitude of furniture ranging from crystalline chandelier to brush painted portraits and carpets thicker than their own winter attires. And the floor! The floor was so clean you can probably eat off it without fear of germs.

Rainbow Dash was now convinced. Flash was loaded. Like… Scrooge-kind of loaded. Like the kind who would dive into a bin full of gold coins and have no fear of breaking every bone in his body.

"Master Flash." A man in servant's attire came to greet them with a gentle bow. "Welcome back sir. Everything has been prepared as you requested."

"Thanks Edmund." The boy nodded. "Oh Fluttershy, Raindow Dash. I'd like you to meet Edmund. He's my family's butler."

"Charmed."

_You have your own butler!?_ Rainbow restrained herself from shouting. Just barely. Her eye began to twitch.

"Please, madams. This way to the record room." Edmund bowed gracefully as he led them all to one of the hallways where they were greeted with even more portraits and furniture. Despite its heavy hue, this house looked as if it was made of glass. Everything here looked like they were worth millions. Even that simple vase over there looked fragile and gaudy to the touch. One wrong move and one simple bump and you'll working the rest of your life just to pay it back.

"Wow… this place is so… huge." Fluttershy stated. "How do you find your way around here?"

"Oh you get used to it… eventually." Flash waved it off. "Believe me, I got lost in here so many times just looking for the bathroom."

Surprisingly enough Rainbow believed it. But she quickly snapped out of it. "So what kind of treatment are you getting us? An outdoor screening? A giant flat screen TV?" She asked with a wink.

"Eh… something like that." Oh please. Don't insult her. After what she saw from the entrance alone, nothing could possibly surprise her at this poi…

"Here we are, sir, madam." The butler opened up a large door revealing a red room which made her jaw drop.

It was a theater – or… at least something akin to a theater. There were seats rows, red curtains, and even lights that dimmed to set the mood.

Her head exploded. "YOU HAVE YOUR OWN MOVIE THEATER!?" Forget being cool, forget being chill! This place was awesome!

"We actually just call it a record room. But yeah it is a theater." He said that so casually that it hurt just hearing it. How did they no one ever mention that he was this rich!?

They were quickly ushered in to the center seat where they had plenty of leg room to go by. Fluttershy looked around but felt strangely comfortable, mostly because there weren't a lot of people around. She must've expected a few other servants nearby like maid or maybe even a cake butler.

Rainbow Dash on the other hand was ecstatic. She glanced around and pinched herself wondering if she was just dreaming.

Ok calm down. This place might've taken you by surprise. But you can still play it cool. No need to be so gullible or naïve.

She coughed into her hand clearing her surprised face. "Ok ok. I'll admit. This is pretty all awesome. But it would 20% cooler if we have drinks and popcorn."

"Salted butter or caramel?" She ate those words instantly when the butler returned with a trolley of snacks making her hyperventilate like Twilight. There was even a popcorn popper bursting on top. "And for you Madam Shy?"

Fluttershy's eyes sparkled. "Oooh. You wouldn't happen to have ginseng tea, would you?" Edmund responded with a flamboyant tea set and poured her a cup. The aroma alone was alluring. "Oh my. It's wonderful. Thank you."

Rainbow Dash wasn't sure what to say anymore. Her mind was fried. Everything she'd seen so far looked like something out of a fairy tale. It might not be magical but the effects were definitely the same. The mysterious carriage that appeared out of nowhere, the journey to the beautiful palace and all-powerful fairy-god-mother (Butler) who can do anything!? All they needed now was a song and dance and she'll be running out of there screaming _'Nothing makes sense anymore!'_. She clung onto the large soda drink and the two popcorn buckets fearing that they might disappear along with her dream.

Thankfully the room dimmed so as to hide her panicked huffs. The curtains rose revealing a screen and an old styled projector on top.

The movie she dreamt of watching came in a few seconds later.

…

…

…

"Oh my god! That was… AMAZING!" Rainbow Dash burst out the door with a smile plastered all over her face. The movie had ended on a high note leaving the girl in a state of absolute euphoria. She was practically ready to run around the mansion screaming. "I can't believe Claire actually decided to stay with Count Vladcula! I really thought for a moment there she would stay by Wilhelm's side, but no! She found true love with the immortal vampire!"

"Ahuh…" She failed to notice her two friends grinning at her childlike attitude.

"And that battle sequence! Two sides duking it out in front of the red moon. And just when things were gonna get bad, Claire comes in and wins the day! I always thought that girls like her would go for the strong athletic type. But nope! She went for him! Isn't that super romantic!?"

"Absolutely." Fluttershy gave a complimentary nod.

Flash also agreed. "Well to be fair, Vladcula did die for her like… four times in that movie." Nine if you include the first two of the trilogy but Rainbow wasn't gonna mention that.

"Pfft! And he's way cuter and stronger than that Werewolf. I mean… muscles and fur are cool and all, but they're nothing compared to the dark, emotional insecurity of a vampire. Why I wouldn't mind letting Rarity put mascara on me just to look like Claire." She paused. "Please don't tell Rarity I said that."

"My lips are sealed." Fluttershy gave a mouth zipped gesture.

"Speaking of which…" Flash opted. "You guys wanna stay for lunch?"

"Absolutely!"

"Oh no." Fluttershy interjected. "We wouldn't want to impose."

"Come on Fluttershy! How often do you get to eat at a place like this? Don't you want to at least experience it?"

"Rainbow Dash." She scolded back politely. "We shouldn't impose ourselves. Flash was already kind enough to let us watch in his home theater. We really shouldn't overstay our welc…"

"If you want, we can have it in the aviary."

Fluttershy froze, snapping her head back at him. "You… have an aviary?"

xxxxxxxxxx

He had an aviary.

Or to be more precise, his family had an aviary. And no it wasn't like those small boxes Fluttershy often see in zoos or animal shelters. Those were just miniature prisons in her eyes. This aviary was ten times… no… correction – it was a hundred if not a thousand times bigger than those she saw. It was a hot dang sanctuary for all feathered folks!

The whole dome itself was built around a large ancient tree that towered at the back of the mansion. A multitude of birdhouses were hung across each and every tree branch acting like some kind of hotel for birds. Four open sections ventilated all the smell, allowing the cool winter breeze to whistle their way in. A few birdbaths also dotted the area giving a place where these folks could wash themselves. A single gazebo acted as their primary hangout with a wide picnic table for them to use.

A single large pond sat at the edge of the aviary and acted as a home to several families of ducks who seemed to have migrated in for the season. Flash said that there would also be flamingos around here but it seems like they decided to move on. It was disappointing but seeing all of this alone was more than enough to make up for it. By the time lunch rolled in, Fluttershy was practically giggling childishly, surrounded by her feathery friends.

"So what happened to not imposing ourselves?" Rainbow asked with a knowing grin.

The animal lover simply shrugged back feigning ignorance. "Well… I suppose we can stay for another hour or so. Isn't that right little fella?" The birds on her arm chirped happily in agreement. "Oh yes you are. Yes you are."

Flash couldn't help but laugh.

**(Celestia/Luna's Apartment)**

Luna awoke to the smell of something good. It stirred her from her bed, beckoning her to come out of her room. She tried to resist it, but it tickled her funny tummy and by then, she had surrendered to it. The dark sky haired woman yawned and slumped out of the comfort of her blanket, feeling the winter chill breezing through her window. Perhaps it was high time to change into her winter attire before the first snow fell.

Putting on her squeaky slippers she followed the smell into the kitchen where she was surprised to find her sister cooking something.

"Good afternoon Luna." She greeted with a coy smirk. "Doing your Sunday routine, I take it?"

Luna yawned again taking a seat by the table. "You know I'm never a morning person, sister."

"Staying up late is never good for you."

"Speak for yourself." She grinned mischievously back at her. "I didn't exactly see you come in last night either. I take it your date went well?"

"It wasn't a date." Celestia insisted, though that blush on her face said otherwise. "I was just there for morale support."

"Ehmm hmm. So what did you two do… exactly… after the pageant show?"

"Oh… nothing noteworthy. Just… some light meal and meeting a few people. I met the mayor again."

"Ms. Mayor? She still in office?"

"Apparently so. But not for much longer if Sombra has any say in it."

Luna whistled. "Oooh. So the rumors about him running for office is true."

"He's also the most likely candidate to win."

"My dear sister. Going after politicians now? You really have moved to higher prey. Not exactly the same as those roughnecks we used to ogle over back in school."

"That was just you, Luna."

Her sister scoffed. "Oh don't deny it. Remember the Quarterback you had a massive crush on? What was his name again? Griffon? Gideon?"

"Gael." Celestia corrected. "And he was the Wide Receiver. The Quarterback was your favorite."

"Ah… right. He really was dashing with that amazing jawline." She added dreamily. "But enough about the past. Don't tell me that little 'Friendly' outing of yours didn't lit any spark."

"Oh… I wouldn't say that."

Aha! She knew it!

"Well? What happened!? Spill girl! Did you at least kiss?"

"Luna! Of course not."

"Boo! Chicken!"

"I'm just being professional." She reasoned as she flipped the pancake on the pan. "We've only just gotten back together and I don't want to accelerate things, now that we're actually talking with one another. I think he and I prefer to take things slow for now. What's the worst that can happen?"

"You leaving him a second note?" Luna replied with a wide eyed grin.

**A/N: This is by far my favorite chapter. Writing and describing Flash's home made me smile big time.**


	15. Between Friendship and Vengeance

**Chapter 15: Between Friendship and Vengeance**

**(Monday) (Afternoon) (Canterlot High) (Band room)**

"… and then we got to use his pool! Which is twice the size of what we have here in school!" Twilight dodged Rainbow Dash's arm as she swung it out trying to express the exaggeration of her story. She and Fluttershy had been regaling them about their amazing adventure in Flash's house. Rainbow in particular seemed to be the more bombastic of the two spinning the story in such a way that many of them found rather… exaggerated. But surprisingly enough Fluttershy confirmed all of it. "And you guys should've seen his garage. His whole basement is a parking lot! He's got a lineup of all the latest models! It's like an art gallery… but for cars! He even has these all-terrain-vehicles just gathering dust on the back!"

"Don't forget the aviary." Fluttershy added cutely as ever.

"Wow…" Sunset whistled impressively. "Sounds like you guys had a great time over there."

"Great? It was a blast!" RD made an explosive sound. "Who else do you know has their very own pool? Or a basement full of exotic cars!?"

"Or an aviary."

"We should definitely a have a party there one day. One big pool party! You guys have to come and see it! It's got a giant diving board so tall you can practically touch the clouds!"

"And the aviary!"

The girls looked at the two and chuckled. It didn't take a genius to know that they had the time of their lives in there.

"Speaking of aviaries." Twilight interrupted turning over to the fashionista and raising an imaginary glass in her honor. "Congratulations to Rarity on her successful sideshow. I heard that you got some kind of… prize?"

"Not so much as a prize but an acceptance, darling." She casually waved it off while she gleefully squealed. "Hoity Toity of Hoity Toity Trendsetter, was so taken in with one of my designs that he wants to build upon it as an inspiration! He already ordered 10 of them to be made by the end of the week. He'll even cover all my material cost!"

"That's wonderful Rarity."

"Thank you darling. Which is why I'll need to ask Rainbow Dash to help me with the designs."

"Me?" Rainbow pointed at herself dumbly. "Why me? I don't know the first thing about clothes. Pretty much all I can do is look at something and tell you if it's clothes or not. Like… this chair I'm sitting on?" She pointed at it, looked at it, and then nodded to her friends. "Definitely not clothes."

"I know darling. But Fancy Pants was absolutely taken by the buttoned blazer you wore and the coat with the extra lovely collar. I'll need you to model for me so that I can make multiple variants of it. Trust me. You'll become a star at the end of the week."

Sunset and the others gave her an applause. "Wow Rarity. That's…"

"And that's not even the best part!" It's not? "I just got word that renowned designer, Hoity Toity, is also planning to build a branch store right here in Canterlot City!"

"Yay!"

"No Pinkie. No yay." The pinkette deflated like a balloon. "Anyway. He plans to open it at the old Uptown Amphitheater. He's hosting a show there looking for unknown artists to present their designs!"

"Yay!"

"Not yet darling."

"Oh come on!"

"And if I make the cut, he'll put three of us on the hit show, Fashion Firebrand, at the Grand Runway at the Capitol City as his latest discovery. We'll be presented there as the new upcoming stars. His successors, his protoges! I'll be famous! Can you believe it? An entire show all for me!?" She paused then, allowing the words to sink in. "You may _'yay'_ now."

"YAY!" Pinkie brought out her mini-confetti cannon and fired it off.

"Does that mean you'll be leaving Ms. Hemline?" Sunset inquired, sounding a little intrigue. "You worked at that place for a while now. Don't you think she'll feel… unappreciated?"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about her. As you can guess, her designs won over the audience in a landslide during the pageant show. Her Winter Collection at the store are selling over like hotcakes if you can believe that." Rarity added with a small grin. "And not to mention her agent in the capitol got her a contract for some upcoming gala. Why I wouldn't be surprised to see her on the front page of this season's Fabric Fontaine. She'll hardly notice that I'm gone."

"Wow Rarity. From small time employee to rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. You're moving up in the world."

"I know, darling. Isn't it exciting!?" She placed her hand over her head in a dramatic fashion. "A small town country girl dreaming of becoming star. She came from nowhere, unheard of, until one day… she appeared on stage and shined brighter than the sun itself! Eeeeep! Yes! These are the kind of stories that inspires greatness! People will be lining up to buy my own autobiography! They might even make a movie about me. Oh and who would star me? J.R. Mewling? Chestnut Magnifico? Spoiled Rich?"

"Actually if you shined brighter than the sun, it would ultimately…"

Applejack placed a hand over Twilight's mouth, smiling. "Why don't you let her have this moment, Sugar Cube?"

After a few more minutes of idle chattering, Sunset raised her hand up to call the gang into order.

"Alright guys. While it has been fun, I didn't call for a Canterlot Magic Investigation Club meeting just for this. There's something you all need to know." They hushed up, knowing well that this was a serious talk moment. "During our investigation at the Natural History Museum yesterday, Twilight and I stumbled on something… big."

…

…

…

"Whoa…" Rainbow Dash muttered what everyone thought when Sunset finished her tale. It was hard to believe but seeing the proof they brought with them, they could hardly deny it. No one ever really thought about Cynch since the Friendship Games. "I don't believe it."

"Me neither." Fluttershy agreed. "Poor Ms. Cinch."

"Ye – wait what? No! Not poor Cinch! Bad Cinch! She's the bad guy!"

Rarity gasped. "Goodness. I knew that she was quite the meanie back then. But I never imagined she'd hold a grudge against us for what happened. It was her fault to begin with, forcing Twilight to unleash all that magic. A lot of people could've gotten hurt."

"And it looks like she's using some of Twilight's research to further her own purposes." Sunset finished.

"So she's sending this big bad wolf out there to gather magic?" Applejack deduced questioningly. "But why? What does she need all that magic for?"

"We're not sure. But it can't be good."

"What we do know however that her plans are still months away from completion." The nerd gal added. "The spell she's trying to cast requires the Winter Solstice which is in the middle of the Winter Holidays. So we still have plenty of time."

"But we're not going to give her the chance." Sunset said with a determined look on her face. "We're gonna put a stop to her plans before it even comes up. Vice President Twilight. Would you care to do the honors?"

"With pleasure President Sunset."

Applejack chuckled at their tone. "You two are really taking this whole club thing seriously, aren't ya?"

"Of course! We're an official club now. Each of us here all have our own positions. Sunset and I are President and Vice President respectively. Rarity's our web designer."

"We have a website?" Rainbow Dash blinked.

"It's been on the school website since last week." Sunset pointed out. "Where've you been?"

"Uh… ahehehe…"

"Applejack is naturally our treasurer who handles all the money should we ever start any activity, Fluttershy's our club secretary…" The girl in question nodded back holding a notepad. "…and Pinkie Pie is our very own Publicity Officer."

The party girl grinned widely. "Want a poster made out of frosting, flyers made out of macaroni? I'm your girl! Woohoo!"

"That's awesome! But… wait." Rainbow noted something amiss. "What about me? Don't I get a cool position too?"

"Oh…" Twilight opened her mouth and checked her notes. "Well I guess you can be our… Club Historian. You'll be in charge of all the notes and taking pictures."

"I can lend you one of my instant cameras if you want."

RD wasn't really sure if she should be grateful, annoyed or insulted that Fluttershy suggested to give her last gift back.

"Anyway now that's settled, let's discuss our plan: To take down Professor Cinch and stop her once and for all." Twilight moved over to the blackboard flipping it around to reveal a rather detailed plan of the operation. "As we all know, Professor Cinch has somehow managed to acquire and use Yaztec magic. She's done it to summon Uta, the shadow wolf from the legends. We don't know how but we can speculate that she needs an item of sorts to channel that energy. She'll most likely have it with her at all time. We take it from her, and all the magic she has will be useless."

"But it's not going to be easy." Sunset added. "By now she probably knows we're coming. She'll definitely be on her guard. She'll most likely have a few tricks up her sleeves so we have to be ready for anything. Not to mention she still has that shadow monster on her side. We'll have to beat it before we can even get close to her. And if what Adagio says is true, that thing can split into smaller versions of itself. We might get outnumbered."

"Leave them to me." Rainbow Dash cockily stated. "I've taken on bigger monsters before and a giant robot to boot. A few hungry wolves aren't gonna be a problem."

"I'm in too." Applejack agreed much to everyone's surprise. "I got a bone to pick with that creep. It's the reason why Big Mac's lying in the hospital and it tore down my barn. I'll be more than happy to even the score. So how are we doing this?"

Sunset nodded back continuing the briefing. "I asked Maud to keep watch over Cinch while she works at the museum. From what she's gathered Cinch works at the museum around the clock coordinating with the other archivists. That place will be crowded with people so having a fight there isn't an option. However, there is a bright spot. She's usually the last person to leave the museum after dark. That'll be our opening."

"That's when we Pony-Up and pounce her to the ground before she even knows what hit her!"

"What? Pounce? No!"

Twilight gasped. "Rainbow Dash, how could you? This isn't an ambush. We are not attacking Cinch."

"Oh… a…ha. Sorry." The sports gal blushed. "I got a little emotional there. It's just that the way you said those things kinda made me assume that we were gonna pounce her. Weren't we going to stop her from using magic?"

"We are." Sunset confirmed it. "Just… not with pouncing. You guys have to understand that magic can be a bad influence to ordinary people. Remember Gloriosa, Wallflower Blush or Juniper Montage? When they got their hands on magic it corrupted them, twisted their desires into something… different. This could be the same case. Cinch might not even realize what she's doing."

"So what?" Applejack asked. "Are we just gonna walk up to her and ask her nicely to give up her powers?"

"It worked before." The redhead smiled. "We have to appeal to her humanity. Despite everything we've done to her, she deserves a chance to do the right thing. And besides, I believe that violence should always be a last resort. And when it comes to that, I'll have you guys to back me up."

"And should the worse come to worse. We'll use this." Twilight proudly showed them her newly recreated device. "It's the Magic Trap. If Cinch tries to use any spells, this thing will drain all the magic she has into this gizmo. And then she'll be powerless."

"Just remember to point it in the right direction. That test run we did gave me a splitting headache."

"Hey that only means it's working properly."

"So when are we doing this?" Rainbow inquired.

Sunset turned the group, nodding. "Tonight…" She answered. "We're doing this all… tonight."

xxxxxxxxxx

Professor Cinch tapped the final entry on her keyboard that afternoon detailing the financial report of the new wing's construction. It was a job for her and a front for everything else she did. After all you can't expect her to go gallivanting around with magic less she drew the attention of more… unsavory characters.

She took a sip out of her coffee mug finding it warm to the touch. It was a welcome taste in this godforsaken weather. While it wasn't snowing yet, she still felt the chill from the outside. She missed the brew back in her old office in Crystal Prep. The Valiant Black. A rather pricy brand but one that she had grown accustomed to. It was one of the few perks of being the Principal there.

But she stopped on her work when she felt a familiar presence slithering through her window. It came through unopposed, merging itself to her shadow. Silently it leaned over, whispering to her ear, making her smile evilly.

"So the girls want to play?" She removed her glasses, eyes furrowed like daggers as the news was delivered. "Very well then. Let's prepare a… cold welcoming." A multitude of slit eyes opened within her shadow, fangs and hungry snarls followed by her malicious laughter.

**(CHS soccer field)**

Flash grunted as he carefully made his way through his opponents kicking the ball as he went pass their defenses with little resistance. Snips and Snails attempted to outmaneuver him but they ended up stumbling on one another then falling on their backs.

With the path clear and one last obstacle to clear, Flash set the ball up and put all his focus on the kick sending the ball curving around the goalkeeper, slamming against the net with a defining swoosh.

The crowd… or at least some of the students who were watching cheered out. If any of them had banners or foam fingers in hand they'd be waving it too. It was a clean goal and it ended the game in a high note. Some of the boy's teammates came by and patted him on the back congratulating him on that awesome kick and a fine game before parting ways to get cleaned up. They all worked up quite the sweat.

He opted to join them until his eye caught a familiar figure leaning by tree. Her large puffy hair was hard to miss but judging by the way she kept to herself, one might guess she was probably trying to keep a low profile.

"Hey Flash." His friend called out. "Me and the guys are gonna grab lunch. You want in?

He waved back declining the offer. "Nah. You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up later." The boy waited for them to disappear into the school doors before he went to approach the figure. He swiped a soda can from the bleachers where his jacket was, eyeing the girl suspiciously.

"Nice game." Adagio stated with an amused grin. She was giving off those mixed signals again which confused the heck out of him. "Those losers didn't stand a chance against you."

"Uh… thanks. I guess?"

"Never took you as the athletic type. Figured you were just a one-trick pony with those sweets words and that instrument." If that was a compliment, she was sure to make it sound painful.

"Well… I'm no match for the soccer team but I'd say I'm good enough for a friendly match. It's all just fun and game."

"That didn't seem like the case with those guys." She darted her eye over a few lingering watchers crowding around a tall, blonde scraggly boy.

"Thank you for your kind patronage." Zephyr Breeze held back a laugh ignoring his fellow classmates' sulking sobs as they reluctantly handed over a portion of their lunch money. "Yes yes. Thank you sir. And you as well. Better luck next time folks. Come back whenever you want and don't be shy either."

Flash groaned, tracing one hand down his face. Those guys must've betted for the other team to win and were now paying for misjudgment… literally. He can't say that he felt sorry for them but he'd wish that they'd keep that stuff away. It would set a really bad example for the younger kids.

"Their sorrow and misery are quite… delicious."

"Well… nobody likes to lose." He popped the soda can open and took a sip.

"True words."

He chuckled. "So what are you here for Adagio?"

"Why? You sound like you don't want me around." Her smile turned to an irritated frown.

"No. It's not that. It's just that… you don't look like the type who'd go anywhere without a reason."

Again her smile returned, though looking more impressed than annoyed. "Very observant. Did you made that assumption based on something or did you simply guess?"

Both actually, but she didn't need to know that. "Well you just don't look like that kind of person who'd waste time doing nothing."

"So both then?" She assumed correctly earning an irritated growl from him to which she smiled back at. "Don't be mad. I can't help it, seeing how you're like an open book. Your face practically gives everything away. You're a lot of things, boy, but a good _'liar'_ isn't one of them."

"And you would know?" He countered back sounding confident and cocky only to pause when he remembered who he was talking to. She grinned menacingly back like a cheetah. "Ok that was a bad comeback. Let me try another."

"You got presence Flash. But presence alone isn't gonna cut it if you don't have control." She tapped him on the shoulder, cupping his chin in one hand. "The moment you lose control, you lose the fight. You have to keep your face in check. Try smiling more."

"Smiling?"

"It gives the impression of control in any situation." She explained with a wink giving him a prime example with that smug grin on her face. "Even when you have no tricks left up your sleeves, even when everything looks hopeless – as long as you have that smile on your face, you'll always make the other guy doubt their actions."

"Like a poker face?"

Adagio released his head and nodded. "A good example but you're going to need something a bit more… believable. It has to look natural. Practice it in front of a mirror or something."

"Yeah I don't think I can just smile on command."

"You'll have to if you don't people like me reading you like an open book." Her smiled grew even more diabolical. "So come on, lover boy. Give me your winning smile."

Flash wasn't sure where she was going with this or what kind of game she was playing with him. But if she was right then he certainly use a lesson in lying. It wasn't exactly the best trait to have but he decided to comply either way. With a slow nod he loosened his cheeks and smiled – a little too widely with teeth and gums showing. "Hhhowes gish?"

It was obviously fake and painfully forced. Painful enough that even she felt it. Adagio patted his cheeks sighing. "Now you're just trying too hard."

"Ugh… please don't tell me this is another one of your '_advices_'. I can still feel that last one you gave me on my back."

"Then it's working." She laughed. "Pain is a good reminder and an even better teacher. It becomes a lesson you don't easily forget. I should know. I have plenty of them to remind me of all the mistakes I made in my life."

"Sounds like a rough life."

"It was, considering that I'm a creature that feeds off the negative energy of others." The Siren approached him, dragging one finger around his cheek as if she was trying to lure him to a trance. And there was little point in trying either. He had no defense. Not like those girls he hangs out with. "But we can trade history another time. To answer your previous question. You were right before. I did come here for a reason." His eyes shot up at attention. "I thought you'd be interested to know what your _'friends'_ will be doing tonight." She swiped the soda can from his hand and took a deep gulp in.

**(Principal's office)**

Ah… it's good to be back. The same plain old office, same plain old desk, same plain old paperwork and the same plain old coffee pot. After a week of visiting Crystal Prep, Celestia can finally sit on her own throne and worry about the normal things in school life rather than all those awkward conversations with Sombra. No more speeches or annoying meetings or high class parties. Now it was back to overdo paperwork and assignment charts.

"Welcome back, Principal Celestia." The lady greeted raising a pot in hand. "Coffee?"

"It's good to be back. And why yes I would. Thank you Vice-Principal Luna." She returned to her chair, noting the seat lowered. No doubt her sister did something to the adjustment. "I take it everything is in order while I was away?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a few things that I need you to sign." Luna placed a folder on the table with a nice hot mug of coffee beside it. "Our cafeteria lady wants to restock the condiments before the New Year. Salt, spice and everything else. I approved it of course. Having the kitchen stocked for the next semester will be one thing off the list."

"Good good. What else?"

"The new order of books for the library. Ms. Cheerilee noticed that many of our stocks are rather outdated and wants them replaced with newer volumes. I also approved that one. Naturally of course. I even picked out the supplier who offered a good deal for delivery."

"Hmm… not bad. Sounds like you had everything under control. I hope you didn't let all that authority get to your head."

Luna shrugged. "Well it was fun being the boss for a change around here. I did enjoy the power. Speaking of which, some of the students have been requesting that we use the gymnasium to hold a Winter Holiday party. Some of the teachers have also agreed and I have the signatures from almost all of them right here." She placed a sheet of paper on the table.

"Hmm… a party for the end of the semester? That doesn't sound too bad. I'll ask Leo if he would work on the day after to clean up the gym afterward." She gave the approval stamp on the paper. "So long as the party is tame. We'll need to have someone chaperone the whole thing."

"I… Luna, Vice Principal of Canterlot High, humbly accept the responsibility of that position." She raised her hand up while the other placed on her chest like she was swearing an oath.

Celestia simply threw her a knowing grin. "You're not planning to pull another stunt like what you did back at the last party, are you?"

Luna looked away feigning ignorance. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Really? Because if my memory is correct, Granny Smith reported several cases of cider and root beer missing from the welcoming party during the Friendship Games."

Luna clicked her tongue in disappointment. "Tsk tsk tsk. Students these days will do anything for a free drink. Some of them really have no respect for the games at all."

"And Doodles stated that a few canned peaches from the canned food drive mysteriously vanished right before delivery. They were all replaced by… beans."

"Terrible. Just terrible. Swapping delicious treats for bland beans is an insult to the integrity of this school! What diabolical children. Those responsible must be severely punished." Luna shook her head shedding an imaginary tear. "If only they weren't so well organized, we would've found them by now."

Celestia rolled her eyes. "Well… seeing as you're the one volunteering, I don't have any valid reason to turn you away." She paused. "Fine. You can be the chaperone."

"YES!"

"But keep the party tame. I don't want to receive any calls regarding over the top noises. I already had two complaints regarding Vinyl's performance."

"You can't blame her. Music is her passion." Luna reasoned.

"There are times and places for such things. She already got one strike from the local hospital. Two more and they'll impound her car. And I don't want that."

"Very well sister. I'll make sure that the sound we make is within acceptable parameters." But then her mood darkened. "Moving on however. There are a few incidents that require your attention." Incidents? That didn't sound good. "One of our students, Big McIntosh, was hospitalized earlier last week."

"Big Mac?" Celestia recognized the name. He was Applejack's brother and a strong one to boot. He didn't join any sports club in school but the boy was definitely stronger than your average teen. Heck even Bulk Bicep would agree that he was a tough nut to crack. They once arm-wrestled each other to a tie. And that was after they broke two tables with their overwhelmingly manly pressure. "Whatever happened to him?"

"I'm… not quite sure on the details. He claims that he was attacked by a wild animal but I get the feeling that there's more to that story than he's willing to tell." Celestia wasn't sure what was more surprising. The fact that one of her students was attacked or that Big Mac actually talked. "If I were to follow my gut feeling, I would point it over to 7 girls I know well enough to get into some… unnatural mischief."

"Let me guess. Magic." Her sister nodded in reply. Of course it would be magic. What else could it possibly be? "As if we didn't have enough to worry about. The finals are in a week and the Winter Holiday starts the week after. These magical incidents are becoming a problem more every year." She groaned. "Sometimes I feel like I want to remove that statue at the courtyard and drop it into the ocean."

"I don't think anyone would mind." Luna gave it a thought. "It is a rather old statue and we can use some of the school funding to get a new one. We can pass it on to the board of directors and see if we can get funding for the project. We can simply say that we want to do some… renovations."

"Luna. When did you get so sly?"

"Oh please. It's just something I developed when we were in college."

"While I do appreciate the idea… I don't think the board will want us to waste precious money on… renovations. You know how tightfisted they are."

Her grin widened. "If that's the case… we can probably ask your boyfriend to fund the project." Celestia's face froze. "He is rich after all. Like… super rich. A little sculpture like that would hardly put a dent in his accounts."

_Don't fall for it._ Celestia breathed out. _She's baiting you for a reaction. Don't stoop to her level. Resist the urge to slap her even though she totally deserves it._

"There will be no renovations." She said finally much to Luna's dismay. "Besides, it has sentimental value. Speaking of which. What did Sunset and her friends have to say about this?"

"They say that they're handling it." Luna took a sharpened breath and sighed. "I decided to give those girls some leeway as a gesture of good faith. So I gave them permission to form their own club."

"A club?"

"It would give them maneuverability when they investigate these incidents. I granted them full access to the school on holidays. It's the least I can do seeing as no one else here has any knowledge of magic."

"That sounds… rather reckless."

And Luna would agree on that. "Do you have a better idea on how to handle this?" No… no she did not. "Do you want to intervene? Lunch is still in session right now but I could probably call them over."

"No." She raised her hand up in decline. "While I wouldn't want anything better than ridding this school of all its magical elements, those girls have proven themselves to be strong and capable. They deserve a chance to handle this on their own. So long as it doesn't endanger the school any more than it has."

"And if it does?"

She looked at her sternly. "We intervene."

**(Evening) (Twilight's house)**

Ok… one last checklist before I go.

Flashlight? Check.

Emergency energy snacks? Check.

Night vision goggles? Oh wait… those are from Pinkie. She'd better return it. Check.

7-way walkie-talkie that she personally handcrafted for this operation? Check check!

Band-aid in case of injuries? Hm… maybe it would be better to bring more than one. Check.

"Uh Twilight." Spike spoke up with a worried look on his face. "Are you sure you should do this? It sounds kind of… dangerous."

"Oh it's definitely dangerous Spike." She replied patting the little guy on the head. "But we have to do it. If Professor Cinch really is using magic to hurt people, we have to stop her."

"But does it have to be you and your friends? Can't you like… call the authorities or something?"

"And tell them what? My former Principal is using dark magic to attack people with a shadow monster? They'll never believe it." No but he wished she would at least try. "Besides, if she really is using magic, they'll be powerless against her. As far as I can see, when it comes to all things magic, we're the authorities here."

"That… doesn't feels right to me."

"I know it doesn't Spike. But we've been given these powers for a reason. It's our responsibility to ensure that people don't abuse magic for their own twisted desires."

"I don't know. That sounds like a pretty big responsibility even for you." He whimpered. "You sure you don't want me to come with you? I can still watch your back or be your lookout. It doesn't feel right to leave you alone out there."

"Thanks for the offer Spike. But this might be a little too dangerous for you. I don't want to put you in harm's way for my sake." Twilight quickly poured the guy a serving of his dinner and made sure his water bowl was full. "Besides I won't be alone. I have all my friends with me. With the seven of us together, there's not a problem we can't tackle. And… here." She gave him an extra portion on his bowl. "I'll be staying over at Sunset's place for a _'Study-group'_ sleepover so I won't be around for your breakfast. Promise me you'll be good until I get back?"

The little mutt sighed. "Alright. But I expect some premium treats afterward."

"Deal."

A knock on the door came a few seconds later. "Twilight honey. Your friends are here to pick you up." That must be Fluttershy. She was carpooling with her to their destination.

"On my way!" With one last glance she tucked her items in her bag and dashed off to the door.

**(Downtown) (Alleyway)**

Sunset was sure that the plan would work. It wasn't the best thought out plan but at the very least they covered most of their bases. While they were prepared for the worst possible outcome she had high hopes that it won't come to that conclusion.

The Natural History Museum was just across the street and most of the store in the area were closing up for the night. There were a few pedestrian by the streets and a few security personnel guarding the museum itself. The streetlights were coming on as the sun went down. In a matter of minutes this whole place will be going dark. And that meant that the shadow wolf will be coming out to play.

There were only three exits in the museum and two of them were only used by staff members or during fire emergencies. She and Pinkie covered the front gate while Applejack and Rarity covered another. Rainbow Dash covered the third. If they were going to confront Cinch they will have to do it when she was truly alone. That meant no one else must be involved.

She had a car parked in the local parking lot which meant that she was still inside. Either she was burning the midnight oil or she was plotting something within.

"This is Sunset to all teams. Report in." The redhead unicorn whispered to her walkie-talkie while peeking on her binoculars behind the large trash bin that acted as her cover.

"Rainbow Rocker here." RD replied. "All clear on this end. No sign of Professor Evil. Yet."

"Breaker breaker. This is Apple Taters. All quiet over here." Applejack grunted on the other line. "It would also be a lot easier if I didn't have to wear this ridiculous hat."

"Don't be ridiculous darling. You look absolutely gorgeous." Rarity chimed in. "It's a great improvement over your whole cowgirl look. And besides, it's just a prototype. I just wanted to see how it looks on you before I make one for each of us. And I must say that you are quite dazzling."

"You do know that we're trying to look inconspicuous, right?"

"Why of course. That's why you'll notice that I decided to go for the darker colored fabric. And the hat really brings out the color of your eyes."

"I don't really get it." Rainbow Dash argued. "Don't we get these super awesome costumes every time we Pony-Up? I don't see what's the point if we're gonna have the coolest uniforms ever."

"Yes but they disappear every time we un-pony-up. Why settle for amazing for half the time when you can be amazing at all times?" Though no one could it see, they can tell that Rarity was grinning on the other end. "I'll even add a nice long flowing cape for your uniform Rainbow."

The sports gal paused. "You… can do that?"

"Of course! Diversity creates individuality. If everyone in the club looked the same, we'd look ridiculous. Every uniform should have a touch of personality."

"If that's the case then I want mine to be 20% cooler. Oh! And extra pockets for gadgets just in case."

"And change my hat."

"Functionality and fashionable." Rarity jotted it down seperately. "A little out of my depth but I think I can work with that. Anyone else wish to add something to their designs? I'll be more than happy to add variety in yours."

Sunset chuckled. "Why don't we focus on the mission before we worry about our uniforms?"

She couldn't believe that Rarity got Applejack to actually wear the darn thing. She traded that Stetson for a deerstalker hat, replaced her shirt and skirt for a thick long sleeved buttoned coat over a blouse, and a short cape that protected her from the elements. Rarity kept her word and made her look part detective and part wizard. All that was missing was a wand and a bubble pipe for effect. It was even more surprising that Applejack agreed to it at all. Perhaps deep down that Cowgirl actually had a secret desire for fashion.

"Are we late?" Twilight's voice chimed in as Fluttershy parked her car close by.

"Not at all. We just started." About half an hour or so. So far all they've noticed were people coming and going. The museum wasn't exactly rolling in locals like they used to. Not surprising seeing as they haven't had anything new in the exhibit for years until Professor Sombra added his collection to the roster. "We're keeping an eye over all the exits. So far Cinch has moved from the museum. And from the looks of things they added extra security. I'm guessing our recent theft got her attention. You and Fluttershy can take the high ground and keep watch over the area."

"Ooooh! This is so exciting. We're actually doing a real live stakeout like those detectives in those cop movies!" Sunset gave her a mocking look. "What? I do like things other than science, you know?"

"Uh huh."

"Oh hush. Look. I even brought some snacks."

"Pinkie already got us covered for that." She gestured over to the said girl who was continuously pulling pastries out of her hair. "But just so you know, real stakeouts aren't like those you watch in the movies."

"And how would you know about stakeouts?" Sunset returned cocking one brow with a playful grin. "Oh come on!" Twilight whined. "Can't you give me one tiny shred of hope? I thought these stakeouts were supposed to be a tense moment where we share our feelings and deepest darkest secrets which will in turn give us conflicting emotions that will boil over to an argument in the next chapter! Maybe even a side story!"

"Yeah… I think we already had those."

"Like… many of them." Pinkie added. "Like in the span of 5 movies. Unless you include those short video chapters on the internet, musical numbers and a bunch of non-canon fan fictions!"

Twilight opened her mouth to argue but she'd rather not dive into Pinkie's reasoning. She figured she'd just let Pinkie Pie's logic be as it is.

"Ugh… there goes another dream in my bucket list, dashed." She groaned. "One of these days Sunset, you and I are gonna have a serious talk about your unusual skillset."

"Like I said. I used to be a very different person." She reasoned back casually. But before she could add anything else, another figure arrived with a grin on her face. "Adagio?"

"Missed me?"

Twilight's eyes sharpened at her with a hint of distrust. "Oh… right. You're here too."

"Oooh, the egghead's can growl."

"How did you get here?"

She shrugged back nonchalantly holding a suspicious smile. "I… hitched a ride. Public transportation are such a drag when they charge you." Her face suddenly turned serious. "But enough about me. What about that old lady? Is she out yet or do we have to get in there and drag her out here ourselves?"

"Easy Adagio." Sunset cooled her jets. "While I'm glad that you're here, I'm sure that it won't come to fighting. We're just gonna talk to Cinch. I'm sure we can convince her to stop her plans." She paused. "Whatever it is."

"So you're going for the passive approach?" She asked sounding rather skeptic. "This is a woman who is hell bent on gathering magic and doesn't care who gets hurt along the way. You really expect someone like that to just give up if we asked them nicely?"

"It worked before." Twilight reasoned.

"Well you certainly didn't try hard enough with us." Adagio reminded. "It took you guys all your magic to beat us at our full powers summoning a giant crystal alicorn and blast us with your silly rainbow beams."

Yeah… that did happen.

"We won't know unless we try." Sunset said.

"Well we can find out right now." Pinkie announced as she pointed over to the museum main entrance where Cinch came from. "Wow. Isn't that weird? She came out of there at the exact moment when the sun went down and this strange fog rolled in out of nowhere. Quite a roll of coincidences, don't you think?"


	16. The Shadows Gather

**Chapter 16: The Shadows Gather**

**(Parking lot)**

It was quiet in the museum parking lot that night. Deathly quiet.

One might even say that it was haunting. With the flickering streetlights and this thick heavy fog lingering in the air coupled with the ghastly noises of street animals, you wouldn't be surprised if a mysterious killer or stalker came out and attack someone. And while many ordinary folks would find this to be absolutely creepy beyond all reason, Rarity would say that this whole place gave the vibe for another one of her fantasy ace-detective stories.

Professor Cinch casually walked down the side of the road, one hand on her sling bag. Her footsteps ticked every moment. They were calm, precise and carefully calculated like she was expecting someone or something to appear out of the fog.

She spotted her car a few blocks away from her work place. It was the only vehicle there and she liked it that way. She had her own personal private parking space near the museum of course and she loved to use it. But today she needed to be somewhere… isolated.

Because tonight was a special night. And she was expecting some rather… pungent guests to arrive any moment now.

As she reached for the door handle of her car, a voice called out to her.

"Professor Cinch." It was a voice she knew very well. A voice that she deeply resented. Slowly she turned around and saw the owner of that voice standing a good distance away… and a certain rebel redhead beside her.

"Twilight Sparkle." She uttered that name hiding the spite that she wanted to throw. "And… Sunset Shimmer." The two girls responsible for her resignation at Crystal Prep. The two who shamed her at the Friendship Games and broke her perfect record. The girls who utterly destroyed her enduring legacy. "How can I help you?"

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up at attention when Cinch gave her that glare. It was the look that made gargoyles break under pressure, freeze erupting volcanoes and put the greatest leaders to shame. If looks alone could kill, she and Sunset would've died ten times over before they even knew it.

Calm down Twilight. We got this. There's no need to be afraid. You have your friends with you, so there's nothing Cinch can do to hurt you.

"We'd like to ummm…"

"We'd like to have a word." Sunset finished, her tone already dripping with a verdict before the trial.

Cinch didn't seem to take her tone very well but hid it under her eyes. "Oh? And would that be?"

"We know you're responsible for the recent attacks going on around the city these last few days. We also know that you're using your shadow monster to steal magic from sources to power up that ritual ground."

"Yes. That's correct."

"And don't even try to deny it! We've got evidence that you've…" Sunset blinked when she realized something amiss. "Wait… what did you say?"

"I said you're correct." Cinch repeated flicking her glasses upward. "I am the one responsible for this creature and all its actions. Uta has been a most loyal pet."

_So it really is Uta._ Twilight had a rough suspicion that it may have been just a coincidence but hearing the name spoken by another simply confirmed her theory. It really was the monster from the legends.

"Then all t-t-these attacks?" She stuttered. "Applejack's farm, the Dazzlings?"

"All my handiwork. Yes."

…

…

…

Ok. That was a lot easier than they thought it would be. For a moment there they actually thought that Cinch would deny all those allegations they had and maybe go around the conversation like some kind of manipulative witch that she always has been. But no. Instead she just confessed to everything and wore it like some kind of badge.

The two girls exchanged confused glances not really sure how to proceed. They were ready for an argument, but they never expected the former Principal to just lay it out for them.

"If that's the case, then you know why we're here." Sunset gave a threatening tone. "You need to give up your magic, right now."

The older woman gave a passive look. "And why in the world would I want to do that?"

"Because they're dangerous." A case and point logic. "You don't understand what you're wielding. The power you're using is far too much for an ordinary human. It's corrupting you. Twisting your desires. You have to give it up before it's too late."

"You ask me to give up my powers? Yet you still cling to yours? A rather hypocritical standard, don't you think?" She shot them daggered glares. "What makes children like yourself more qualified to handle such power, than I? Is it genetic? Or is it the simple trickery of fate?"

Twilight blinked. Something about her tone made her freeze on her tracks.

"Why do you get to enjoy the benefits of magic while the rest of us here toil away with our sweat? What gives you the right to take what I have earned? You don't even fully grasp the power in which you hold." She continued, not taking her eyes off them. "You have the ability to change the world at the palm of your hands yet you use them for such mundane things. Helping others, silly construction work, harvesting apples, talking with animals? You can be so much more. But instead you settle for mediocrity." Her eyes suddenly flared up in anger. "If anything, the one who doesn't understand the true nature around here is you."

"Please Professor Cinch." Twilight pleaded. "Don't do this. You've seen what magic can do. While it can do wonderful things, it can also be a source of terrible disasters. It's not worth whatever it is you have planned."

"And that my dear… is where you are wrong." Cinch smiled as the shadow behind her rose from the ground forming the image of a giant wolf. Twilight's body tensed up seeing that beast once again. Memories of their past encounter flooding through her mind. "Magic is far more complicated than you think. And I'm going to need a lot more if I'm going to get what I want. And your little trinkets would make… an excellent addition to my collection."

That didn't sound good.

"Look out!" Sunset shouted as the beast lunge at them, fang and claw together. She immediately grabbed her geode blasting a beam of light through her hand making the monster flinch. The sudden surge of magic coursed through her body as tails, wings and ears grew out donning her Crystal Guardian attire. "Everyone! Together!" Her rallying cry signaled the gang to spring out of their hiding place and attack.

The fight was on.

**(Flash's house)**

Sombra let out a sigh as he walked down the hall of his home only to pause when he came upon the family portrait. He glanced up to it, focusing on his younger self starring back and the beautiful woman who sat beside him who had that smile that could melt even the coldest heart.

Memories of a happier time played through his head. A time when he could still feel the warmth of her touch, the radiance of her glow, her sweet voice banishing all worries from his mind.

"Master Sombra." His favored butler spoke up interrupting his trip down memory lane. "Will you be having dinner sir?"

He retracted his hand from the painting as he answered. "I suppose so. It's been a while since I had anything close to home cooking. Thank you Edmund."

"Do not mention it sir. Always a pleasure to be of service."

Sombra chuckled. "Speaking of which. Where's Flash? I was hoping we could dine together for once."

"Master Flash called earlier mentioning that he had a… prior engagement to attend with his friends. He will be returning quite late."

"Does he always do that?"

"Quite often, sir."

Sombra sighed once more. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise. With him being gone for months every time, it was natural that his son would find family comfort elsewhere. Eating alone here all the time must've been lonesome for the boy. A home isn't a home if the people you love aren't there. It was a feeling he knew quite well.

But just as he spoke, the phone in his breast pocket rang. He looked at the number and frowned. It was a simple text message with a single line written.

"I'll have to take a rain check on that dinner after all, Edmund. Something just came up. Have the driver pull up the car for me."

"Meeting with someone sir?"

He paused, his mood darkening. "Something like that."

**(Parking lot)**

"Cupcakes in the hole!" Pinkie yelled out as she threw pastries from her cover detonating it over the giant shadow monster. She had a bandolier around her body equipped with a row of cupcakes and other culinary weapons to use. The beast recoiled from the explosion finding it both effective and delicious at the same time. The others have Ponied-up gathering the magic in their geodes transforming them into half-breed heroes and donned their armor.

"Applejack, Rainbow Dash. Distract it!" Sunset ordered.

"You got it!"

"Hey ugly!" Applejack called out to the monster taunting for its attention. "Remember me?" The beast growled back. "I reckon you do. Cuz I got a score to settle with you. Why don't you try biting me off now? You'll find me a tougher bone to bite than Big Mac!" She fired a flare off at the creature making it groan in pain.

"Pinkie, Fluttershy. You two take the high ground and give them cover."

"Okie dokie lokey!"

"Everyone else, with me!" Sunset then led the charge with Rarity and Adagio not far behind. "Get Cinch!"

They attacked the woman on three sides expecting to catch her off guard.

"Not so fast." But the former Principal had more tricks up her sleeves. She raised her hand up and conjured a net-shaped barrier which knocked the three of them down. It vibrated with a blue hue pulsing with a defensive enchantment. "You didn't think I'd be a one-trick-pony now, did you? You will need to do better than that if you want to outmatch me."

"What the…?"

"My turn." Cinch raised her hand once more swiping it horizontally creating a wave of sorts pushing the fashionista away with an invisible force. "Oh~ that was a lot more fun than I thought."

"Rarity!"

"Hey old lady!" Adagio shouted at her grabbing the gem around her neck. "You think you're the only one who knows how to use force? Let me show you mine!" She gathered air in her lungs and shout it out like a sonic wave cracking window glasses alike. Unfortunately it didn't seem to penetrate her shield.

"Such power." Cinch grinned back menacingly, eyes gleaming with greed. "It seems like I wasn't mistaken after all. When my pet sucked the energy from that girl I knew something was different about you. You're a creature of magic… from another world! So much power in such frail bodies. It's a wonder how you can hold all of it. You'd make an excellent specimen."

"Dream on." She unleashed another sound wave, making a crack on the shield. But it mended itself instantly in a blink of an eye.

"Hahaha! My dear. With the power I command, my dreams often come true." The woman then sent the Siren flying against the wall with another gesture of her fingers. "And I don't let others say otherwise."

"STOP!" A burst of magical energy flung against the old witch making her go on the defensive.

But she soon recovered only to sneer at the opponent that dared try to defy her. "Twilight Sparkle. I cannot say that it is good to see you again. Not after what you did to me in the Friendship Games."

"That wasn't my fault!" Her former student countered. "You forced me to unleash the magic! It was too much and it corrupted me!"

"You lost control because you never learned to handle such power to begin with!" Cinch shouted blasting a shadow bolt of her own nearly hitting the girl. "You had all that energy. All that magic! You could've done so much! Winning that match would've been child's play! But you failed!" She seethed between her teeth. "Because of you, the record I held for Crystal Prep is gone! Because of you, I had to squander in the dirt! All my labor and love, gone because of you! It was a mistake to bring you there! A mistake I aim to fix!"

"Twilight! Look out!"

Twilight froze as a bolt aimed for her. But a diamond shield formed in front of her nullifying the attack.

"Honestly darling. I've heard of people who hold grudges but you are simply taking it way too far for my liking." Rarity rebuked holding her shield up. "May I suggest getting yourself a hobby? I hear that knitting is a great pastime for the elderly."

"GRAHH!" She fired another bolt but again it bounced off Rarity's shield without even making a dent.

"Oh please. If it didn't work the first time, then it won't work a second time either."

But her taunting only served to fuel Cinch's anger. "Look at you. All of you! You wield such power with such grace and ease yet you use them for the most useless things! That kind of magic should be used to benefit all of mankind! You children are unworthy of it!"

However, in her fit of rage Twilight noticed something shining at the woman's wrist. With her 20-20 vision she was able to spot something amiss. A black gem dangled from a bracelet. It pulsed with magic, glowing just like their geodes.

"That bracelet." She gasped before turning to her friends as realization dawned on her. "Sunset! The bracelet! That's what she's using to cast her spells! We take that away and she won't be able to use magic!"

"Got it!" The redhead jumped in blasting another beam at the former Principal but her barrier stood firm. "Gah! It's no good. Her shield is too strong."

"But it can't go on forever." Adagio added. "Her magical energy isn't unlimited. Every time we damage the shield she needs to use more energy from that bracelet to fix it up. If we pile it on, she'll run out of juice eventually."

"Sounds like a plan." Sunset nodded. "You heard her! Pour it on!"

They did so and began firing repeatedly on Cinch. Even Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy gave in some free shots from the rooftops whenever they could. While the barrier held, they could clearly see the woman inside struggling to keep up. Cracks and tears began to appear on the shield but every time they appear the witch inside simply mend them back together. However, they could sense more and more magic being used up.

"It's working! Keep it up!"

"My my… how enthusiastic." Cinch laughed. "But a game like this must be played fairly. Why don't we level the playing field?" She swung her hand up in an arch aiming at each street light, breaking them with just a thought. It didn't take long for the darkness to envelop the area leaving the girls in pitched black. Afterwards multiple smaller versions of the shadow monster formed around their master, growling threateningly. "Attack!"

Seeing the new found enemy multiply, Sunset quickly got to blasting. She fired colorful beams out of her hand to repel them but those that she beat simply slink back into the shadow and restore themselves before attacking again. They snipped and snapped at them. One even got close to her newly grown tail.

"Applejack! Rainbow! A little help over here!"

But Sunset saw that her friends had their hands full dealing with the giant beast.

"Uh… a little busy right now." Applejack replied roping the monster only to find herself being dragged around like a clown. Rainbow Dash was the same, having difficulties just trying to keep the shadow monster at bay as it snapped at her heels.

"We're fighting a giant wolf monster here!"

Up on the rooftops Fluttershy came in contact with one of the creatures. She tried to coo it down with her unique ability like it was any other animal but its snarl only made it clear that it had no intentions of becoming friends.

"Look there! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? NOPE! It's Pinkie Pie!" The pinkette blasted in, putting two smaller wolves out of commission before noting the gang below being pinned. Taking a deep breath, the girl sprinkled sprinkles around her bandolier supercharging her pastries with magic "Looks like this is a job for… Pinkie dive bomb! EVERYONE TAKE COVER!" Hearing her warning and knowing well what she was about to pull off, the gang quickly duck for the closest thing they could use as a shield. Pinkie then took a leap of faith pulling a culinary kamikaze maneuver that wiped the field like an angered chess player.

"Pinkie!"

The pastry master gave a thumbs up gesture in return as the smoke cleared. "I'm ok! Just a little… sugar crash. I think I'll… lie down here for a minute."

But her stunt paid off. The wolves that Cinch summoned were all gone. Even the giant Uta felt that explosive force which stunned it for a good moment.

"Why you insolent little…"

"Think fast!" Rainbow yelled out tossing a trash bin slamming it at her shields, spilling all the trash inside which blinded her for moment. "Oops. Not fast enough I guess." She giggled childishly. "And I thought Applejack was the messy one."

"RAHHH!" Seeing an opening, Applejack closed in on the older lady throwing a solid punch at her barrier having it tremble under her might. "This is for wrecking my barn!" A crack appeared where her blow landed. "This is for scaring my cows!" It grew wider with the second punch. "This is for ruining half of our corn field!" A third one came and it creaked. "And this… is for BIG M-"

"Enough!" The woman shouted creating a shockwave sending the cowgirl back. "If you continue to be persistent, then I guess I'll have to go a step further! Uta! Come to me!" The wolf howled and slinked back into the darkness merging with Cinch's shadow. "Let me show you what real magic can do!" Her shadow then split into a dozen taking solid shape of the former Principal like a perfect shadow copy.

"Now. Let's try this again." They spoke in unison before unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts at each of the girls forcing them to go on the defense.

Rainbow Dash rushed over to Sunset's position, grunting. "Great! Now what? We can't keep up like this!"

"I know that." Sunset agreed painfully. She ducked behind a knee-high wall hiding from the torrent of electrical shots fired at them. "Twilight! You got the Magic Trap ready?"

She nodded back in return. "Yeah. But I can't use it on Cinch while that barrier of hers is up! And none of our attacks are effective enough."

"Not ours… but Applejack did a number on it." Sunset reminded forming a plan. "Alright here's the plan. Applejack. We need you to punch through that barrier. Rarity. You'll cover her. Everyone else distract the copies until she's done."

"You got it!" The cowgirl gave a playful salute before putting her fists together. "This one is for Big Mac!"

"Ready? GO!"

And with the signal Applejack threw out of cover and charged into the line of shadow clones. They spotted her instantly, barraging the poor girl with a volley of lightning bolts that would've fried an ordinary man. But Rarity was there to cover her creating a formation of diamonds that shielded her from those attacks.

In mere moments she covered the distance between her and the former Principal landing one good haymaker on her barrier. Applejack grinned noting that the woman was stuck there so long as she held that shield up.

"Oh this is gonna be good." With her back secured, she went to town with the shield throwing one good punch after another focusing everything on one spot. The crack appeared moments later, growing wider and wider without stop.

"No… NO! Stop that at once you insolent child!"

"Or what? You gonna sick your dogs at me?"

Cinch snarled. "I just might." She snapped her fingers calling her shadow clones to attack. But before they could blast her, Sunset and the others drop out of cover and returned fire forcing the shadows to duck and dodge. "Grrr! I have had enough of this!" Angered and annoyed, Cinch raised her hand up and fired a steady stream of electricity at Applejack pinning her to the ground. Her friends called out her name but they were drowned out in the exchange of fire. "You never should've had these powers to begin with!"

"Oh shut yer trap, ya old varmint!" Applejack countered slowly rising back on her feet. "I don't give two dimes what you think and what you believe in. I ain't got a clue why we got these powers or why magic is doin what it's doin. And I don't give a hoot! All I know… is that you're the reason why my brother is at the hospital with a broken leg! And right now… I… just… want… to… hit you… with my own fist!"

Summoning what little strength she had left, the cowgirl delivered on her promise and bounded the crack on the barrier shattering the entire form like glass. The blue hue surrounding her vanished and the impact sent the woman falling breaking the spell placed on the Uta. Those shadow clones vanished instantly, returning to their master, protecting her from the fall.

"Twilight, now!"

With haste, the egghead leaped in with her tool getting in close enough to touch her former Principal. She pointed it at her and just as it sensed magic, the purple seashell came to life.

Cinch tried to shield herself with her arm but that only gave it a perfect angle for the Magic Trap to do its work. The pure essence of magic flowed from the black gem and into the shell draining it of all potent energy.

The shadow wolves tried to resist but without magic to sustain them, they could only howl in futile resistance before vanishing into the darkness.

The battle ended with a quick flash as the device finished its task sucking the last drop out of the old witch. She drop on the ground a moment later looking weakened and powerless.

Sensing that the danger was no more, Sunset and the gang approached wiping imaginary sweats off their brows.

"Did we win?" The redhead asked, panting heavily.

Rarity nodded back in confirmation as she helped Applejack off the ground. "I think we did."

They had won. Barely. So many things could've gone wrong there but they pulled through in the end. It was a victory worthy of note. Even Rainbow Dash was feeling pretty good of herself after that fight smugly patting the dust off her pony attire.

It took a while for Cinch to recover, though she didn't seem to have the energy to get back on her feet. "No…" She whimpered. "How? How could it be? How can you all possess so much power and still not see?"

"It's over Cinch." Sunset stepped forward. "You have no magic left."

The woman looked up finding the little girl glaring down at her. "So it would seem."

"Hand over that bracelet." She demanded in which the old lady chuckled back humorously.

"This thing? I can't give up something that was offered to me. It's a gift."

"A gift?" Sunset questioned. "From who?"

"You think I'd tell you anything?"

She frowned. "You don't have to." And with a quick motion she grabbed the woman's arm and let her powers do the rest. The ability to read minds came in handy for stubborn people like her.

With this she would be able to find out what her plan was. She'll find out who gave her this magical charm. Everything will finally be revealed. Everything will…

Wait…

Something wasn't right. Normally Sunset would be able to see or feel something out of this. She could find out when Professor Doodle would present another pop quiz in a blink of an eye or find the last moment when someone had their phones. But this time… there was almost nothing. She could see images flash by but nothing solid or clear. It was like trying to watch a television show with terrible reception or a radio station with so much static.

"What the? Why can't I…"

Cinch's chuckle turned to a full blown laugh as she returned the gesture grabbing Sunset by the arm. "Such a predictable little girl." She grabbed the portable data drive on her neck and pressed a button hidden within. Instantly the Magic Trap that Twilight held up reactivated and came back to life.

"Wh… what's going o-arghhh!" Adagio fell the ground a second later feeling the life force being drained out of her.

"Adagio? What's wroo-oooh!" Rainbow Dash was next to fall, hitting the floor faster than she could run. "Wha… I feel… tired."

Fluttershy grabbed her. "Rainbow Dash! No! G… get… get up."

The rest of the gang followed in suit, all fumbling and falling to their knees as the magic sucked out of them like a vacuum. Even Sunset felt her body going limp as she tried to reach for the device that fell out of Twilight's hands. But Cinch's wrinkly fingers had it first, scooping it off the floor and held it up to her chest with a triumphant grin.

"You didn't think I would come to a fight without a plan now, did you?" She gloated like a comic villain. "You think I'd let you take this trinket from my office just like that? And here I thought you were smarter than this." With a few taps on the device the woman returned her magic to her bracelet feeling it supercharged. She could feel the energy coursing through that black gem pulsing with enough power that could level a building.

"Cinch… no…" Twilight struggled to reach out but found her arms and legs unresponsive. "You can't…"

"Don't pretend to know what I'm doing." The former Principal berated, watching as the girls de-ponied back to their original forms. She glanced up to the Magic Trap eyes lighting up in awe of all the power she had. "Yes. YES! I knew you girls were source of great magical energy. There's almost enough here to use the Chalice! I can undo everything. All the errors, the mistakes. EVERYTHING! Haha! Just a little bit more and we'll have a top-up. And I know just where to get more."

Her eyes then cast to Adagio who froze when she realized what she planned to do. She tried to summon her strength but found nothing left in her body. All she could do was crawl in futility. The others tried to stop her but they were just as weak as she was. Even Rainbow Dash tried to grab the woman's shoes but her fingers wobbled off with little resistance.

No… no! Sunset wanted to cry out but she struggled even to speak at this point. The magic was drained out of them, leaving the gang defenseless.

Someone… someone help her…

Anyone…

"Now now dear. Don't be afraid." Cinch cooed as she approached the poor Siren, pushing the device closer like an evil dentist frightening her patient. "I just need a little more out of you." The Magic Trap activated again and soon began draining Adagio of the last trickle of her energy. Her hair began to gray and her face wrinkling into dust. "Yes… YES! That's it! Just a few more drops!"

"I think you've had enough for one night, lady."

…

Huh?

Cinch blinked when she didn't recognize that voice. She rose and turned to the source just in time to see a wooden bat swinging at her. It happened so quickly that she no way of defending. The woman stumbled back, her hand covering her face for protection. But in the process the Magic Trap slipped from her fingers to which the attacker gladly smack.

The purple seashell collided against the nearby building, shattering into pieces. The energy stored inside quickly burst out in a cascade of colors erupting into a volatile element which then exploded, tearing through wall like acid.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Cinch wailed in horror seeing her object of desire destroyed in a manner of seconds. She turned to the perpetrator, anger and malice building. "What have you done!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? YOU FOOL!" She casted a spell on the attacker striking him with a bolt of lightning which he shielded with his hand. He cursed loudly but quickly recovered and responded with another swing of his weapon snapping it against her wrist. "GRAHHH!" Cinch tried to cast another spell but quickly discovered her magical trinket gone. "Wha? The gem! Where is it!? Where did it go!?"

Another explosion followed making both side flinch as the fire engulfed the parking lot in flames. Two electric poles fell to the ground tearing up wires, shooting sparks everywhere. Seeing this destruction, Cinch decided to call it off and escape to the nearby alley.

Sunset felt herself being scooped by the guy cradling her like a bride.

"I got ya." The boy whispered. "Grab on. Quickly." He moved on to her friends scooping Twilight with his free hand. "Aria, get the van!"

She heard someone reply but couldn't quite make out what it was.

"I don't care! Sonata, grab the other two! I got this."

Aria? Sonata? Aren't those the other…Sirens?

Sunset couldn't focus anymore. She didn't have the strength or the willpower to make sentences. The world around her spun violently… before darkness took over.


	17. Conscequences

**Chapter 17: Consequences**

**(Later) (Alleyway)**

Cinch panted heavily as she fumbled her way through the alley of the city clutching her throbbing hand. Whoever attacked her certainly used a lot of force. Enough to break two of her fingers in the process. The fire of that explosion was now raging behind her. Police sirens and other emergency services echoed in the distance no doubt attracted by the battle that was just fought.

Curse those girls for ruining her plan. Curse them all!

For a brief moment she had all the power. All the magic! She could feel it. The ability to conjure anything she desired. She could've had it all! Everything was going her way until that very last moment when it all shattered to pieces, literally.

Now all the energy that she gathered in that tiny box was gone. It expelled into the air becoming nothing more than lights that danced in the night sky. All because of that boy!

Still… it wasn't a complete loss. She was able to defeat those girls draining them of their Equestrian Magic. It would take them some time to recover. And it would be easy to track them down. So long as she had one of Uta's little copy attached to Sunset's shadow she'll know exactly where they are and what they're planning.

Right now it was perhaps best to lay low and build her cover story. If the master finds out about this, she'll no doubt be furious.

"Tsk… tsk… tsk… what a mess." The woman froze on her tracks when she heard someone click their tongue in the shadow. "You really rocked the boat this time, Abby. And here I thought you were more of a fighter."

She slowly straightened herself to meet with the new arrival. Her face twisted in disgust as the well-dressed man appeared, showing a smile that was borderline arrogance.

"Hoity Toity." She spat. "I should've known your visit here wasn't a coincidence."

"Oh it is." He corrected as he filed his nails not even looking at her. "I wasn't supposed to be transferred here until my shop was done but an old friend of mine invited me to his ridiculous pageant show so… I took the opportunity." He let out a short laugh. "But you should much about opportunities, shouldn't you, Abby? Getting beaten by a bunch of kids. Twice? Oh how the mighty truly have fallen."

"I wasn't beaten!" The woman countered, flaring. "I had them by their throats. They were weakened. I could've had it all!"

"And you lost in all in a hair's breath. Tsk tsk tsk. What a shame." The fashion designer glanced upward noting the unusual aurora flowing in the sky. "It is quite beautiful though. What an absolute waste. We could've used that energy for our purpose too."

"Those children possess more magic than we know. If we combine our powers we can strike them now while they're weakened. Help me Hoity!"

"Oh I'm afraid I didn't come to help you, Abby." The man replied, his tone turning dark as he peek down from his shades. He then slowly pulled a green egg-like object from his pocket which hummed with black magic.

"The memory stone?" Cinch gasped taking a few steps back in fear. "But… but why?"

"The Master has grown tired of your… interference."

"I have done everything she asked of me!"

The man rolled his eye boringly in response. "Oh she knows. And she also knows what you've been doing these last few weeks." He paused, letting the words sink in. "Stealing magic from the chalice to serve your purpose was strike one. Disobeying orders was strike two. And now losing both immense sources of magic and your 'Medium'? Not to mention nearly blowing all our cover? Now that's one strike too many."

"But it wasn't my fault! Those girls attacked me! I had to defend myself!"

Hoity Toity sighed. "I'm afraid she doesn't see it that way." He raised the stone up and allowed the magic within to do its work.

**(A few hours later) (Canterlot Hill Picnic Grounds)**

The first thing Sunset noted when she woke up was this odd painful sensation.

She reached out for her head but immediately regretted it when she felt her limbs ache at every sudden movement. The girl grumbled and groan before finally gathering the strength to open her eyes. The moon and stars welcomed her back to the land of the living followed by a gentle breeze that cooled her face.

By the time her visions cleared she noticed that she was laying on grass right beside Twilight and Pinkie Pie. The two of them looked practically tuckered out – or at least Twilight looked that way. Pinkie simply snored away comically like everything was right in the world.

But moments later the events of the fight flooded back. She remembered it all in a blink of an eye.

"Cinch!" She jolted up raising her hand in a stance before her knees gave way. "Wh… whoa!"

"Hey!" An arm came through, grabbing her before she fell on the ground. "You alright Sunset?"

"Flash?" The girl recognized the voice almost immediately. Her eyes cast over to him, relief spreading across her face for a brief moment before questions pondered over. "What are you doing here? You… you can't be here! It's…"

"Hey! Easy!" He grabbed her by the shoulder trying his best to calm her down. "It's ok. It's over. You're safe now."

"But… what about Cinch?"

"I don't know." The boy responded, carefully letting her lean on a tree to support her weakened state. "After the fight, all I could do was get you out of there before the whole place burned down."

"Burned down? What are you talking about?"

Flash pointed over to the city over by the cliff. From there Sunset's eyes shot up in terror when she noted the blazing inferno in the distance.

Oh no…

A whole section of the city was burning. You can see traces of fire and a long plume of smoke rising above it. Police and firefighter sirens could be heard echoing from within. A smoldering ruin of fire was left in the wake of their battle leaving nothing behind but ash. It was… devastating.

Was this…

Was this their fault?

Did they do this?

"How could this have happened?"

"Sunset?" Flash froze up when his ex-girlfriend grabbed onto him, her head burying into his chest trying to hold in a pained sob and hands shivering in fear. The boy reacted naturally too. Slowly he placed his hand on her back, reassuring her. "It's ok. I got you."

…

It took a few more minutes for the rest of the gang to wake up from their weakened slumber. Some of them were left shaken and traumatized but most were just groggy and tired. Having the magic drained from them really put them at a vulnerable position. And seeing the destruction just below made them feel even worst.

They gathered around a picnic table where Flash had placed a variety of drinks for their leisure.

Rainbow Dash was the first to express her irritation "Ugh… I haven't felt this kind of wipeout since I slammed at Bulk's back on the skating ring last year. What the heck happened?"

"That's what I want to know too." Applejack agreed, holding her aching head in one hand while holding a cider bottle in another. "What in tarnation did Cinch do? One second she was on the ground, the next thing we know, the roles were reversed."

"Ugh… no… more… Pinkie Bomb."

"It's my fault." Twilight admitted casting a guilty look on the table. "Cinch reverse-engineered my Magic Trap. She had a remote function set inside and activated it when we least expected. She knew that we would use it against her in our fight. That's why she allowed us to steal it."

"That's a big blunder." The cowgirl grumbled trying her best not to sound mean. But the aching head and weak body didn't exactly stop her. "We all thought we had her corner when in reality, she had our number this whole time."

"It's not your fault Twilight." Sunset stated having calmed down from her earlier fright.

"But it is. I should've seen it. Cinch is a very cunning and clever person. Of course she'd set up something like this."

"Don't… blame… yourself… darling." Rarity said weakly, her face on the table. "You couldn't have… seen everything. We were… all duped as far… as I can… see it." Flash rushed to her side offering her a drink which she smiled back softly as she accepted. "Thank you."

"It was scary how she did it." Fluttershy shivered at the thought. "We were all drained. I've never felt so… defenseless before." And that was a lot coming from a girl like her. "I don't even want to think what would've happened if Flash hadn't come at that moment."

"Yeah. Great timing Flash." Rainbow nodded at the boy in question giving him an impressed gesture. "That was a good swing by the way."

He shrugged back. "Hey, I'm just glad it worked out."

"What were you doing there though?" Sunset asked throwing a suspicious glance. "How did you know where we were?"

"Because I brought him there." A smug voice answered making the girls turn to the direction of the purple van that was parked nearby.

"Adagio!?" Sunset gasped, surprised to see the Siren and her lackeys. Even more so when their leader stood by unchanged. "You're… ok? But I thought…"

"Thought what?" She sneered back annoyingly. "That I was drained of all my magic by that stupid witch?" They paused, a few slowly nodding in reply. "Well you're not wrong. For a moment there I actually thought I saw my life flashing before my eyes. Luckily someone actually decided to come prepared for some… certain eventuality." She walked over to Flash and handed him an old antique looking dagger. "That's twice I owe you now."

He smirked. "Should I put it on your tab?"

She returned the gesture with a flirtatious shake of her hips. "You know I'm good for it."

"Is that… the Yaztec sacrificial dagger?" Twilight recognized it. "Did you…"

"Suck the magic out of it?" Adagio answered back without any hint of regret in her tone. "Pretty much."

"We didn't break it though!" Sonata added earning a look from the gang. "Just saying."

Adagio ignored her and took her place at the head of the table. "So… I can guess that stunt of ours didn't exactly go as planned." That was stating it plainly. "I'm even going as far as saying that it went… horribly."

"Yeah, we get it." RD responded folding her arms together. "It was a disaster. You don't have to remind us. We were all there."

"Just putting it out there. The better question would be… what to do now?"

"We're not stopping." Sunset stood up, the fire returning to her eyes. "We're gonna put an end to this no matter what it takes. As long as Cinch has that bracelet, none of us here is safe. She was able to get some of her magic back. That means she can use the Uta against us."

"Wait… bracelet?" Flash spoke up garnering their attention. "Are you talking about that bracelet she wore? The one with the black gem?" They looked at him questioningly as he pulled the said object from his pocket. "Is it this thing?"

"That's the one!" Sunset grabbed it off his hand. "How did you get this?"

"It was on the ground when I picked you guys up from the fire. I must've broken it when I hit Cinch."

"Well I'll be rootin-tootin. That's one fine hit." The cowgirl cheered as the gang jumped in realization. "Without that thing she won't be able to use any magic to threaten us."

"That means we win… right?" Rainbow Dash deduced. "Right?"

"Not so fast guys." Twilight spoke up blocking their joyous triumph. "We might've gotten her the bracelet. But remember what Cinch said?"

Sunset nodded in agreement much to everyone's annoyance. "She said that it was a gift. Meaning someone gave it to her. But the question is, who?"

"Wonderful. Mysteries upon mysteries." Rarity groaned.

"Didn't you get to read her mind?" Applejack reminded.

"I did… but it was hazy. It's like she had some kind of shielding on her." The redhead groaned. "All I got were a few blurry images and I can't really make any sense out of them. I can't even think straight with this headache on me. But whoever gave this bracelet to Cinch clearly has enough power to spare. This thing pretty much looks like our geode. And what she said back then really got me worried. She said that if she had enough power, she can _'Undo'_ everything." Oh yeah. That didn't sound ominous at all. "It definitely has something to do with the Chalice of Wishes. I know that for sure. She said it herself."

"But the brew that was supposed to be drank from the chalice is lost." Twilight pointed out. "No one knows the recipe."

"I'm willing to bet whoever gave Cinch this bracelet knows about it. We need to dig deeper into this rabbit hole and see where it goes. Twilight. Can I leave this gem with you?" The nerd gal gladly accepted. "We should all probably head out to my place too. We are supposed to have a sleepover at my place after all."

"Sleep~~~ over~~ party~…! Yay…" Pinkie tried to fire herself up but failed.

Everyone agreed on that notion. After all, no one felt like being alone tonight. Not when they knew that Cinch might still be out there planning her revenge. Besides, they were too tired to get home. Their energy were drained right down to the last drop. It was hard just trying to stay up.

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

In the dark corner of Uptown, in the once well-known amphitheater where the new Hoity Toity Trendsetter store was to be placed, the owner of the establishment entered. His new store was hardly ready yet. But with a few days of work and some phone calls, he can make this the center of fashion in the whole city.

But that was a dream for another day. Right now he had far more important matters to attend to. Clothes and fabric can be done later.

After closing the curtains on his window display, the designer approached the center of his room and raised his hand dangling a bracelet with a dark gem attached to it. The gem hummed for a moment before opening a portal across space and time.

He knelt down to the floor when a feminine figure revealed itself to him. **_"Is it done?"_** She asked as if already knowing the question.

"Yes Master." The fashion designer nodded tipping the center of his shades as he replied. "Cinch has been dealt with. Though I may have overdone it with the stone." He held up the green glowing object as it pulsed with memories of those it robbed. "I'm still getting used to using this thing."

**_"Irrelevant. So long as she cannot reveal us to anyone else, her condition means little to me. She knew the consequences of failure."_**

"As you wish…"

**_"And the magic she stole?"_**

Hoity shook his head reluctantly. "I'm afraid they're gone. Cinch used the device we repaired to steal magic from the chalice to further her own agendas. As we suspected, she must've been doing this several times already."

The woman on the other side of the portal hissed. **_"I should've known someone as weak as her could not be trusted."_**

"She was out for vengeance – and revenge can be a powerful motivator." The man stated knowingly. "I should know. I have it too."

**_"Because of her interference, we might not have enough magic to power the chalice! The Winter Solstice is closing and all this setbacks will cost us time. Time that we do not have! I will have to double our partner's effort to find more relics to feed our need."_**

"Perhaps I can help?" Hoity offered. "I sense some lingering magic here in the city. Perhaps I can do some searching of my own."

**_"No. 'He' will handle it. Unlike you, that man knows how to be discreet."_**

Ouch. A little hit below the belt there but understandable. "Very well. And what of the girls? Shall I deal with them as you requested?"

**_"They have caused great interference only because Cinch was careless. Now that she's out of the picture they may return to their dormancy believing that they were victorious."_**

"So… that's a no then?" She growled which he quickly raised his hand up in defense. "I was just checking. What do you wish me to do then?"

**_"Solidify your presence there and keep watch. Spread your… influence over the people."_**

"So I should just do what I always do?" He sighed, wiping the lenses of his shade with a wet tissue never revealing his eyes. "That shouldn't be too hard. And I do love people chanting my name. If I can do that in Las Pegasus, it should be child's play here."

**_"Excellent. And should those girls intervene, you may eliminate them at your leisure. Just make sure to keep it quiet."_**

"It will be done." And with a final bow the portal vanished leaving the man in his shop. He grinned menacingly as he opened his eyes at last revealing two oddly swirling lines in them.

Once the vision was sure to be gone, a seductive voice in the darkness spoke up. "So what did the Master say?"

"Can we come out to play?

"Or are we still grounded today?"

Hoity laughed at the three figures. "Now now, my dear. I know it's been a long trip. But do wait a little longer. Can't have you running amok too soon."

**(Tuesday) (CHS)**

The air around school was different. Sunset could feel it as she walked with her friends taking in the odd scenery. Everywhere they looked students were gossiping over, huddled in groups bringing in their closest friends together like they were expecting some kind of attack. Old hatreds were put aside out of fear and paranoia as the students moved together, each of them eyeing out for something amiss. There was a massive tension in the air. It was so thick a single dog bark would probably spring this whole school into a panic spree.

The explosion and fire from last night was on everybody's lips. Rumors circled around, theories, conspiracies and such. A tinge of fear gripped their hearts. Fear of the unknown. And sadly only a handful knew the truth.

Walking through the doubled doors, Sunset came upon the same scenery but far more clustered. Everyone was whispering, hushing, some casting suspicious glances at one another and others accusing passerby like they were spies.

"Looks like everyone's one edge." Twilight stated the clearly obvious. "Guess they all know about the fire from last night."

"Kinda hard to miss a boom that big." Rainbow Dash pointed out, waving to a few of her classmates who greeted back. Thankfully they didn't seem to suspect them as the perpetrators.

"That's some tension." Applejack agreed noting the rather deathly quiet nature of the school. Even as they entered through the double doors the same scenery played out but in a more congested state. "Everyone here looks like something or someone's about to jump and scare the pants off them."

"I can't blame them." Fluttershy shivered. "Even I'm feeling a little… scared myself… after what we did."

"That wasn't us." RD protested, forcing a smile to her classmates as they pass them by. "That was totally Cinch's fault. She was the one who went all bat nut crazy over power!"

"It doesn't change the fact that we played some part in it." Twilight reasoned. "It was our magic that caused all that destruction. I can't help but feel somewhat… responsible."

They arrived a few moments later at Sunset's locker surprised to see Flash waiting for them.

Or… it wasn't really that surprising. Flash, Sunset and Rainbow Dash have been locker neighbors since they all arrived at CHS. It's natural for him to be there.

"Guys!" His mood brightened when he saw them. "Glad to see ya. I was worried after I dropped you over last night. Are you ok?"

"We're fine, Flash." Sunset reassured him. "You don't have to watch over us like a Griffon."

"I think we should be the one asking you that question." Applejack stated gesturing to his bandaged hand. "What happened to you?"

He quickly hid it away shyly. "Oh this? It's nothing. Just hurt myself over… stuff. It's just a small cut."

"Small cut my foot." Applejack reached over, grabbing the wounded hand to which the boy flinch painfully in response. "I recognize that sizzle. Gauze and alcohol. Cheap and effective. That's a second-degree-burn you got there, Mister. And a bad one too."

A burn?

The thought of last night's explosion came to mind.

"Oh you poor thing." Fluttershy gently patted the boy trying to each his pain with her touch.

But he brushed them all away giving out a reassuring smile. "It's nothing guys. Really. You're all making a big deal out of this. This is hardly anything compared to what you guys went through. What's a little daring rescue without a little pain?"

"A lot actually." Sunset scolded. "You get what you sow."

"Oh lighten up Sunset. The guy saved our butts out there." Rainbow nudged her, giving the boy an approving wink. "If it wasn't for him, we've be half-cooked bacon."

"And that's what he gets for helping us."

"Hmm… it doesn't look that bad. If you want. I know an old family recipe that'll do just the trick." Applejack offered and quickly released the boy's hand when she realized that she had been holding onto it longer than necessary. "Something Granny taught me a while back. One little smudge and you'll be right as rain the next morning.

But Flash had to decline. "Thanks for the offer but I think I'll keep it around a while longer. I already had the nurse look into it and she said it'll heal up in time. Besides, I think having a scar might make more popular around here. I hear some girls dig a man with scars… right?"

Well he's not exactly wrong there. Seeing that little string of bandages over his hand did raise a few hearts, but none of them would openly admit that. Even Rainbow Dash in particular looked… intrigued.

"As long as you keep your adventures in moderation." Twilight cooed at him. "Which reminds me. I never really got to say thank you for helping us last night."

"Hey you girls were under duress." He waved his hands up. "I think I can give you all a pass. I just wished things went better than they did."

"You can say that again." Applejack groaned looking over the hallway. "This place is quieter than my farm on a holiday."

Pinkie agreed. "This mood is so unsettling even I'm feeling pretty down."

Sunset sighed back at them as she arrived at her locker. "Look guys. I know we're all conflicted over this. But let's not talk about it right now. We'll meet up at the band room at lunch period. For now just act natural and try not to stand out." They agreed on that wholeheartedly. But before any of them could take a step into their respective classrooms, the PA system hummed to life.

"Attention. Will the following student please report to the Principal's office: Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie."

Twilight groaned as all eyes in the hallway turned to them. "So much for not standing out."

xxxxxxxxxx

Being called to the big man's office was never gonna feel right. Even more so now that the whole crew was called in. Normally they'd be called in pairs or alone but today was going to be different. They can all feel it.

As they entered, Sunset immediately noted Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna beside her, having a stern look on their faces. One might say that they did not look amused. The windows behind them were closed and the blinds covered. Clearly they didn't want anyone else hearing about this.

"Thank you for coming." The lady on the chair spoke. "Please. Take a seat." An array of chairs were laid for them comfortably. The sisters were definitely expecting them. Swallowing their fears the gang complied and took their seats close the table as Luna closed the door behind them.

You can sense something… dreadful in the room. Like a life changing decision was about to occur.

There was a pregnant pause in the air. A single needle was all it would take to pop it.

But before any of them could speak, Celestia opened a copy of the Daily Canterlot Newspaper and laid it on the table for all of them to see.

"I take it you all know why I brought you here."

They all glanced at the headline cringing as the photo below it showed a gruesome scene of burned up buildings.

_'Wild Animals and Faulty Wiring destroys city block'_

Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "That's uh… that was… ummm… not really our fault." She pretty much just confessed either way.

Celestia eyed them. "An entire city block was burned down last night with untold damages including the Museum of Natural History. Thankfully no one was badly hurt." That's a relief. "Eyewitness stated that they heard wild animals in the area and a series of blinding colorful lights. Some say that the whole thing looked even… magical in nature." They gulped. "Right now the authorities are blaming it on faulty wiring and bad engineering. But I can tell something is amiss. Any of you care to explain what in the world just happened?"

Sunset traded looks with her friends and sighed. "It's… a long story, ma'am."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "A very long story."

The Principal placed a handful of notes on the table wearing a deep frown. "I am prepared to get you all out of class for the whole day if it'll mean getting to the bottom of this." She sighed. "Girls. I know that I have my knowledge or understanding on magic is not as good as yours. I have seen you use it to benefit not only yourselves but everyone around you. And that makes me proud to see you work. Which is why we've all decided to keep it a secret here in school. However… after seeing this kind of damage, I'm beginning to think that it may have been a mistake."

She might not be wrong on that regard

"We worry about our students and the seven of you included." Luna added. "So please explain to us what happened so we can understand."

The gang turned to one another once again before finally nodding.

…

…

…

"So… yeah… that's about it." Sunset finished on a soft note leaving the Principal and her sister to ponder on the story.

It took about an hour or so to finish explaining the whole ordeal. From the Yaztec relics to Cinch… to the battle that took place last night. In all honesty the more they explained, the more it sounded like a farfetched story. But Celestia knew better than to question them on that. Magic wasn't exactly a thing until Sunset came along.

By the time she was done the Principal had chugged down two… maybe even three cups of coffee just to ease her of the stress.

"So let me get this straight." The woman frustratingly held her tone back rubbing the temple on her nose. "You're telling me that this… new magic is running rampant across the city? And someone is trying to use them for some… personal gain? And Abacus Cinch is one of them?"

"We don't know exactly who or how many there are." Twilight explained. "But we do know it has something to do with the new wing of the museum, the Winter Solstice and the Chalice of Wishes. That's… uh… one of the artifacts."

Luna gave a quirky glance before speaking. "That's… a rather farfetched story. But I'm willing to put my common-sense away for now. I can understand the relic, the solstice and all. But as for Cinch. That… might be… complicated."

Fluttershy questioned. "Complicated? How so?"

"Principal…" Celestia coughed on her fist to correct herself as she lifted from her seat. "Dean Cadance from Crystal Prep Academy called earlier this morning. Apparently Professor Cinch was found not far from the explosion last night by emergency services. She was wounded and taken to the Twin Sister Hospital for treatment."

The gang froze.

"She… she's not hurt is she?" Twilight gasped.

"Nothing of immediate concern. A few scrapes and bruises and nothing else. However… she must've suffered a big concussion because when she woke up she said the strangest thing." Strange? You mean stranger than the story we've told you? "She doesn't to have any recollection of recent events."

"No recollection?" Sunset questioned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said. She has no memory of her time here in Canterlot City. It's like she has a bad case of amnesia."

"AMNESIA?"

"Wait… amnesia is actually a thing?" Rainbow asked out of the blue looking rather confused. "I thought that was just a plot-device they use to move the story along in cheesy TV shows."

"Oh that's gosh darn ridiculous." Applejack didn't seem to buy it though. "I bet she's just acting it up to make people pity her."

"That's not what Dean Cadance thinks." Luna replied from her corner. "She even visited her when she got the call. Cinch didn't seem to recognize her. In fact… she doesn't even seem to remember her time in Crystal Prep at all."

That would be weird if it were true.

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing. She doesn't anyone other than her name. And that's a frightening thing."

"We're getting off topic." Celestia interrupted. "Whether or not Cinch is pretending, I'm afraid I have come to a decision. This magic of yours, while it is wondrous in nature, can also be extremely dangerous. Accident or intentional, that explosion last night has put everyone quite on edge. And so, for the safety of the students and everyone involved, I have no choice but to ban all of your magical activities from our school." The gang gasped. "That means the Canterlot Magical Investigation Club is forbidden from using school resources."

"You're kicking our club?" Sunset retorted.

"I'm sorry. But knowing what this power can do, it simply isn't worth the risk to have it around anymore. I'm sure you can all understand that. We simply have no way of responding or defending ourselves to magical situations like you do." She returned to her seat holding that tired expression. "You may continue with your investigation but Canterlot High will not be a part of it. Please… don't drag us into another magical incident if it can be helped. Can I count on you to do that?"

Again they sighed, trading glances with one another before nodding.

"We understand, Principal Celestia." Sunset answered for the crew. "We promise not to use our magic in school."

"And that's all I can ask." She nodded. "You may go now. You have classes to attend."

One by one they departed leaving the two sisters alone in the office. But not before Rainbow Dash plopped her head back in.

"Oh! Quick question. Is that offer to skip all our classes for the day still good?" They gave her a threatening glare in return. "I thought not. Just checking. Bye!"

**(Afternoon) (Soccer field)**

"Whoa… so you guys are like… band from using magic in school… forever?" Flash gasped after hearing the news from Sunset herself. His ex-girlfriend having taking him away from their friends for a private conversation by the soccer field.

"Hopefully not forever." The bag of chips on Sunset's hand ruffled. "But I can understand her reasoning. Even though we've done some good with our magic, it's been nothing but a source of trouble here in CHS."

"Hey that's not true."

"But it is. Ever since I brought magic here from Equestria, it's done nothing but bring harm to people. You can't defend it."

Flash shrugged. "Ok, I won't say that magic hasn't been a tempting force. But that was Equestrian Magic. The magic that you're dealing with now is from here." He reasoned. "So I don't think it's fair that you're beating yourself over something from our world. And if anyone here is more qualified to deal with magic, I can't think of a better team than you and your friends."

She laughed at his attempt of cheering her up. "Thanks for the vote of extra confidence. But after last night, I'm not even sure anymore. The damage we done there was… big."

He… couldn't argue with that. The report from the newspaper alone was extensive. The explosion created a fire so bad that it pretty much damaged the whole block. While most of the buildings there were abandoned, there were still a few apartments lingering at the edge. By the time emergency services arrived, the fire had spread to all the buildings and burned down not soon after. Many families were displaced because of it.

"Yeah… that was pretty bad. But it could've been a lot worse if you hadn't stopped Cinch. Who knows what she was planning to do with all that power."

It was a fair point. But honestly, neither did they.

"Well we won't know now with all that magic gone."

You mean after he swung that bat and shatter the Magic Trap into a million pieces?

"Right… sorry."

She chuckled. "No… I didn't mean it in a bad way. I'm just… sad that it was wasted, that's all. Though your swing needs a bit of practice."

"Hey what can I say? I'm a lover not a fighter."

"It's just that… it was kind of unexpected." Sunset added. "Speaking of which… why were you there in the first place?"

The boy sighed, slowly rising from his seat. "Well… Adagio told me about what you girls were going to do."

"And you decided to come knowing the danger?"

He cocked a brow gazing directly in her eyes. "You'd prefer if I didn't show up?"

"No. Not that. I'm…" She wasn't really sure what to say honestly. "I don't want to sound ungrateful and all… but…"

"Is it because of this?" He showed her his bandaged hand. "Sunset. What happened to me isn't your fault. I was the one who decided to go in and help you. Anything that happens to me is on me so you don't have to beat yourself up on my account."

"I know. But can you help me for worrying?" Sunset reasoned. "You saw what happened back there. I don't want you getting caught in something like that."

"The same goes for me."

Her eyes shot up. "Wh… what?"

"Sunset, you guys go after magical adventures on a weekly basis. Sometimes it finds you, sometimes you find it. And like last night… anything can happen. You're worried that if I get myself involved, I'll get hurt. And I feel the same way. I know I broke my promise to you. But whenever I see you guys go charging into danger… I worry too. Even before tonight I've seen you and your friends fight off monsters from another world, out of control magic and all kinds of weird stuff. It's not fair that you get to shoulder everything while people like me get to sit on the sideline. You're my friend and like it or not… we live in the same world now. Don't I get to protect it too?"

"I…" Her face flushed as she pushed her hair back a bit. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"Just because I'm your ex-boyfriend doesn't mean I get to stop caring about you." The boy added to which both of them turned red in response. "Wh… what I'm trying to say is that umm… you… all of you are really… uh."

"O… oh! Really? That's umm…" They would've gone on with their embarrassing tangent for a whole minute had they not notice a snowflake landing on her hair.

Their eyes quickly cast upward noting the dark clouds blotting the sky. A soft and gentle hail of snow followed not long afterward falling over the soccer field.

"Wow… would you look at that." Flash gawked at the beautiful scenery, his previous comment immediately being forgotten. "I guess you got the first snowflake of the day."

She chuckled softly, cheeks still flushing. "Yeah… I guess I did. Happy Hearth's Warming."

He blinked. "Hearth what?"

Sunset snapped herself at her error. "Oh… sorry. Old habit. That's… uh… Equestria's equivalent to your Winter Holiday around here. It's kind of the same thing except we raise a flag in honor of the unification of Equestria."

"That's… pretty cool." He admitted as he opened up his hand palming a good chunk of snow. But before he could add anything else, his eyes cast over Sunset who slowly but surely began to glow. "Uh… Sunset. Are you… supposed to be doing that?"

"Doing what?" She immediately noted herself ponying-up like she was going overcharged. Her tails, ears and everything were coming to light. "Whoa!" And then they suddenly vanished the moment she became aware of them. "Ok… that was weird. That… never happened before. At least… not unintentionally."

**(Twilight's house)**

Ah… home at last. Twilight though today was never going to end. While she adored Principal Celestia, she had to admit that getting told off by her didn't exactly sit well. But then again she can't blame her from banning them from using the school resources. Though they weren't technically responsible for the damage done to the museum she can't help but feel partially responsible. Hearing that the museum would be closed for another month for repairs and Professor Cinch hospitalized, she wondered that she might've been right.

In retrospect they were all technically just children at this point. Children who have been given powers beyond their imaginations. She often thought that they were given these powers to help others, to better mankind. But instead they were here doing mundane tasks. She used her telekinetic abilities to fixed things, lift objects much heavier than her. Pretty much using it like a clutch of convenience. Even Applejack, who possess the strength of ten maybe twenty men was using that ability to… tend to her farm.

If they went public with this power, announce to the world the existence of magic… it would change everything.

It would change this world forever.

The thought alone was both inspiring and frightening at the same time. The kind of change that would make lead the people here to a new age. Forget the Industrial Revolution. The Age of Magic here will become the new cornerstone of the world. She was getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

"Twilight." The girl was torn from her thoughts when her brother appeared.

"Oh! Shining Armor. You're… here?"

"Uh… yeah?" The boy responded her question with another questioning statement. "I used to live here. Remember?"

"What happened? Did you get kicked out of your apartment?"

"What? No! Why would you think that?"

"I'm just assuming." She calmly replied. "So what are you doing here? Did the thing with Cadance not work out?"

"How are you…?" He quickly calmed down taking a deep breath. "No. I'm here to visit you, mom and dad." He answered back like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "For the Winter Holidays?"

"Ooooh~ that's right. You guys get off earlier than high-schoolers." She cooed. "Welcome then! Or is it welcome back? Speaking of which, I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch because I might've converted your room into a server room to store up all the data I've been sorting through."

"Yeah… I noticed. The large blinking lights gave it away." Shining Armor shook his head in frustration. His sister can be a hurdle to handle sometimes. Especially when she as a lot of things on her mind. "Anyway. Sit down for a moment. We need to talk."

"Oh… ok." Twilight blinked but complied either way. She took her usual spot by the couch in the living room while her brother took dad's favorite chair. "What's this about?" It couldn't be about the magical incident earlier since Celestia promised to keep it a secret.

"It's about… your lab."

Her face went full panic mode. "My lab?! What happened? Did something spill? Did Spike get into one of my vats again!? I keep telling him that those things are not bubble baths!"

"No no. Nothing like that. Your lab is fine." Oh that was a relief. "And Spike's fine too… I think. It's just that… mom and dad wanted to tell you that you have to uh… move it."

"Move my lab?" She questioned. "Why? I have a perfect setting here. My spectrometer array is at an optimal angle with no other tall buildings blocking the sky, my supercomputer has all the spatial wiring needs and our kitchen provides the most excellent cooling vent system, and my holographic projectors look almost realistic thanks to the lighting from the sun."

Shining Armor quirked one brow, hardly interested. "Yeah. But don't you think that it's a little excessive?"

"Not at all. Everything here is within the city's safety regulations." She boasted smugly. "I should know. I read all 70 pages. I even added emergency sprinklers and shut-off switches."

"Yes. We know. You spent weeks assembling those. But Twilly, you have to understand that everything you do have consequences."

"Of course I know. That's why I added that extra security for the house." Her brother sighed again and quickly tossed her an official looking paper at her. "What's this?"

"That… is this month's electricity bill."

Electric bill? Hmm by the order of the Public Provincial Electric Authority. Blah blah blah… excessive use… yada yada yada… after fault warning… ahuh… calculate all to a total of…

"WHAT!?" Her eyes bulged out of their sockets nearly shoving her glasses out of her face. "This is how much we pay for electricity!?"

"This is how much mom and dad PAYS for electricity." Shining Armor corrected folding his arms together.

"This isn't a bill, this is outright robbery! There has to be some kind of mistake! Maybe they forgot a decimal point somewhere? That is at least two digits too high for your standard bill!"

"Oh there's no mistake. We know. We triple checked it." Her brother firmly stated. "Ever since you moved back from your dorm in Crystal Prep, the amount had been steadily rising. At first mom and dad could keep up with the payment. But ever since last year, the whole thing shot through the roof. Remember last Spring? They had to cancel their holiday trip because of it."

Ouch… that's… not good.

"I didn't know it was this bad." Twilight looked down at the numbers again and shuddered. The only time she saw an amount that long was only in her computers. "Why didn't they tell me?"

"They tried. But you were always so focused on your 'Research' to listen. That's why I'm here to have a sit-down with you. Because of this, we have no choice but to cut your lab and your room off from the house's electrical grid."

"What!?" She screeched. "But my lab! The solar arrays and batteries I put up can only supply it for an hour!"

"Sorry Twilly. But until you can foot the bill, we can't keep with all these extra expenditures." Twilight groaned but understood his reasoning. Not even mom and dad could pay these bills forever. Heck, not even if they took two extra jobs. She didn't know it was this bad. "However… we do have an alternative solutions for you."

"Really?" Her eyes sparkled with hope. "I'll do it!"

"Hold on now. Let me finish." He raised his hands up in protest though he seemed glad that his sis was eager to make amends. "Seeing as your graduation is coming up next year and Cadance securing your scholarship in Everton Academy, mom and dad thought that it's high time that you consider… moving out."

"Moving out?" She parroted. "Like… to a new dorm?"

"Or a new apartment." Shining Armor suggested putting down a folder with a long list of potential homes for his sister. "Since Everton is hours from here, we thought you'd like to have a place all to yourself. You'll have complete freedom there. Obviously your lab will have to be… minimized. But at least then you won't be burning through electricity here."

Twilight glanced at the folder cringing a bit. "Isn't this a little too sudden?"

"I know it's a big step forward, and you still have plenty of time. But this will be a good chance for you to plan ahead."

It was a good idea. With the next semester being her last time in CHS she should consider planning for her accommodation in Everton Academy. It was a long drive from the outer eastside and back, and gas wasn't gonna pay itself, so living close to her new school should ease her travels. Plus she'd also have a new pad to call her own. An independent gal with no strings attached. Thinking about it sounded kind of… tempting.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try." She accepted the folder with reluctance. There were a lot of pictures, recommendations and even color-coded alignment based on rent and size. No doubt Shining Armor spent a lot of time making this during his school years. Heck he even had several of them encircled because of the giant benefits. That… or it's because two of them had community pools. Shining Armor did love to take the occasional dip.

"That's the spirit." He offered a smile. "But there's no need to rush just yet. Take your time and look through all of them. I'm sure there'll be one that's perfect for you. If you want, I can even drive you to a few of them I recommended."

With a last nod, the boy departed leaving his sister to ponder on her own future within the pages of his folder.


	18. Future of the Band

**Chapter 18: Future of the Band**

**(Wednesday) (Flash's house)**

Flash let out a yawn as he exited his room dressed in his usual attire preparing for another day of school. He seemed to be in a better mood after the fight at the parking lot. Other than the itch he feels from his new found scar, he was feeling pretty keen. Something good was about to happen today, he can feel it.

"Master Flash." Edmund spoke up intercepting him by the stairs. "Your bag, sir."

He graciously accepted it. "Thanks Edmund. Anything I should know for today?"

"A few things sir." The butler stated following the boy down the hall. "You'll be happy to know that the parts for your personal vehicle has just arrived last night."

The boy beamed. "That's awesome!"

"Yes. The mechanics are making the final touches and it should be placed in the garage by tomorrow. I told them to leave the painting to you, sir."

Flash grinned. He knew that today was going to be a good day. "You know me best, Edmund. And… you wouldn't happen to know about my guitar, would you?" The older gentleman answered pulling his guitar out from his back and handing it over with care.

"Freshly scrubbed, polished and tuned to your specifications, sir."

The boy grabbed it, swung the wicked looking instrument over his body and strummed a few notes to get the feeling back. His guitar purred like a kitten in his arms. It felt great to have his favorite toy back to where it belonged.

"Sweet! I can't believe I've gone so long without my baby. You're the best Edmund."

"Always a pleasure sir." He bowed lowly. "Shall I pack your lunch?"

"No need. I'm good with this." Flash smiled and played another tune grinning happily like a child only to pull a stop when he bumped onto another. "Doh! Oh! Dad?"

"Son." Sombra replied as documents clumsily spilled from his hand. "Oh dear."

"Sorry. Let me get that." The boy offered kneeling to scoop up the papers. "I thought you'd already left."

He laughed back awkwardly. "Oh well… I just came back to get a few things. Real-estate mostly. I'm making a few new purchases around Canterlot. Crystal Prep is far better maintained than I imagined. Dean Cadance did such a splendid job that it practically runs itself."

"So… I guess you got some free times on your hands, huh?"

Sombra paused, taking a good look at his son sighing. "Well… you know that I want to spend some of it with you, Flash. It's just that…"

"I know I know. You have a lot of responsibilities with the museum and the election coming next year." He glanced down to the document in his hand noticing a few odd pictures attached to them. "Hey wait. Why does this place look familiar? Have I been there before?"

"Well you should. It's our old house." Sombra smiled.

"Our old house?" His memory from long ago clicked in, though just barely. He had some hazy memory of that place. Bits and pieces of it scattered in fragments just like the photo on the paper. It was a small old decrepit mansion situated far to the east, right at the edge of the city overlooking the ocean. It was built on the cliff with a stairway leading to the beach below. Flash recalled some of his childhood there. He remembered building sandcastles, watching the sun set into the sea and large boats sailing against the currents. "Wow… I didn't even remember we had an old home until now. Looks pretty cool. Why did we move?"

His father's face looked solemn and nostalgic. "Well since my work took me deeper into the city and you getting older, I thought it was high time we moved to where people were. Besides… it didn't really feel the same ever since Sophie – your mother – passed away."

Oh… right. That actually made sense. He spent all his high school years here in the big city in this huge mansion. It would be natural that those times back in that place would fade. Heck he hardly even recognize his own mother too.

Shrugging the thought away, the boy flipped the page and noted a decrepit looking fortress in the next one.

"Hey… what's this? It looks like a castle."

His father's eyes sparkled. "You like it? That would be Castle Hoofbeard. It's an ancient sunken fortress built on Freefall Island, just a few miles off the coast of Canterlot City. It was used by the first settlers long ago as a lighthouse to guide ships into the dock. But it was later captured by the infamous pirate, Hoofbeard, Captain of the Salty Sea Mare. He rebuilt it into a fortress and plundered hundreds of ships in his lifetime before mysteriously vanishing from legends."

That sounds like a great story to be told in campfires. A dream of adventurer, exploration into the unknown, buried treasures and piracy? Yes please!

"Wow… that's pretty cool. But why did it sink?"

"Aha! That is one of the greatest mysteries!" Sombra's face lit up like a Christmas tree showing his academic side for once. "Nobody knows! Some say that the weight of all the gold he stole from traveling merchants was so heavy that the island itself couldn't support it. Another story says that one of Hoofbeard's crew planned a mutiny so he decided to blow the place up and take the riches with him to the sea!"

Ok now Flash was definitely certain that this story would make a pretty awesome tale over a campfire.

"But there also exists a legend, people talk about." Sombra added in an old sage's voice. "It is said that during his adventures, Hoofbeard fell head over heels with a mermaid. A bright and beautiful jewel named Coralita. Against the wishes of the ocean, the two fell in love and eloped. They were very much happy together. But… then a storm broke out. Lightning threw into the castle, burning it from within. The sea roared over, grabbing the castle by the walls, dragging it down to the depths out of sheer anger! And by the end, not even the famed captain could match the power of the sea."

"Yikes…"

"Yikes indeed." Sombra agreed. "Not exactly a good way to go, but not underserving for a man running from the law."

"I guess I was expecting a happy ending for the guy."

"Perhaps you can write your own story." His father suggested tapping his son's guitar. "I heard that you play in a band. Maybe one of this day you'll let me hear one of your songs."

Flash's eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Of course! Why we have so much in common. I too used to be a musician when I was your age."

"You played lead guitar?"

"What? Oh heavens no." He chuckled. "I preferred the more… classical instrument. That piano in the living room isn't just for show, you know?"

"Really now?" The boy gave out a cheeky grin. "I've never heard you play it before."

"I don't really have that much time to pursue my old hobbies. Oh but I was a natural. Why your mother and I would put up a private performance side by side every odd moon lit night by the terrace at our old home. She was a genius in her academics and skillful with her violin. We'd play from dusk till dawn while eating bite size sandwiches and cracking the silliest jokes you'd ever hear. Why... there was this one time we spent one whole night thinking of a name for you. Sophie wanted to call you… Lightning or… Turbo. Can you believe that?"

Flash blinked. "Ok. The fact that I could've been called Turbo is a subject for future debate. But it sounds like you had a lot of fun with mom."

His father's face went solemn. "They were the happiest moments of my life, son." He glanced up to a portrait of his late wife, one hand reaching out to it. "And I'd do anything to have her back." He let out a nostalgic sigh before his mood brightened as a thought came to mind. "Speaking of which. I just had a fantastic idea! Do you know about the fire that burned down a city block the other day?"

The boy cringed. "Uh… well… yeah. Of course! Who hasn't?"

"Well as part of my future election campaign, I've decided to hold a donation event to help rebuild the apartments that were destroyed. This kind of publicity stunt will greatly win me a lot of goodwill from the people and a lot of votes in the future. And it would make me very happy if your band would play for the event." He laid one hand on the boy's shoulder as assurance.

A live performance for an event? Flash's eyes widened like saucer plates. That kind of gig would definitely be big. Huge even. It'll draw in a lot of eyes. A lot more than anything they've had in their time in CHS. Not even the Rainbooms could gather that kind crowd in all of their performances.

"Wow dad… that's…"

"If you don't want, that's also fine." The older man said quickly.

"NO!" Flash closed his mouth when he realized his voice was a few decimals higher than normal. "I mean… I was just surprised by the offer. It's… a lot bigger than what I'm used to. But… yeah… we'll definitely perform."

"Splendid son. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see a man about an island."

**(Afternoon) (CHS Cafeteria)**

Oh you've got to be kidding me. That much just a studio sized room? There wasn't even an air-conditioning. How is anyone supposed to live there during the summer when the temperature rises over the natural body level? You'd be crazy to live in a place like that. It's a fire hazard just waiting to happen.

"Uh… Twilight?"

And this one? Three rooms for a good deal but there's a disco bar right next to it. Not even white noise generators could block out all the beats. She might recommend it to Vinyl but it definitely wasn't for her.

"Twilight darling. Are you there?"

And don't even get her started on this one. A penthouse? What kind of student could possibly afford a penthouse? She knew that Shining Armor really wanted his own personal bachelor pad but this was just going way over the top. I mean… sure it had its perks. Wide open space where she can set up her lab, comfy beds for her and Spike to lie on, an amazing view of the city, and advance automated security for protection. No Shadow Monster was ever gonna sneak up on her. But the cost was way beyond what a college student could go through. Come on bro. Get your head out of the clouds.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE!"

"Mnyaah!" She nearly flipped when Rainbow stuck her face at her. "What? WHAT!? What's happening?"

"You're happening." Rainbow Dash replied grumpily.

Even Rarity agreed with her. "Honestly darling. I know that the finals are coming next week but there is a thing as too much studying."

Twilight quickly put her 'notes' away smiling apologetically. "Sorry. Sorry. I just got my head occupied right now. What were we talking about?"

"Sunset here was just telling us that her powers almost went cock-a-doodle-doo yesterday but you were so deep in your book that you didn't hear." Pinkie explained. "Mind telling us what happened again Sunshim?"

"That's just it. I don't know what happened." Sunset answered, hand in her hair. "One minute I was just hanging around, the next thing I know I was ponying-up like my powers went supercharged."

"You sure your geode ain't broken?" Applejack suggested. "It might've dropped when we fought Cinch the other day."

"No… at least I don't think so." She muttered, her hand tapping on her necklace. "I wouldn't even know if it was broken. These things don't exactly come with an instruction manual."

"Well maybe you should have a semi-professional look into it." Rarity opted gesturing to Twilight who again returned to her 'notes'. "Twilight… darling?"

"Huh? What?"

"Sunset here was wondering if you could do some of your research on her geode. You're the only one here with the proper equipment after all."

"Ah… yeah." She sighed. "I don't think I can do… any of that… any time soon."

Applejack raised a brow. "Why not? You're always into studying magic. Nothing stopped you before."

"It's… complicated."

"Does it have anything to do with why you're looking at apartments?" Fluttershy deduced holding one of the pages of her folder which slipped out.

"HEY! Give it." The gang immediately went to full murmur mode which forced the egghead to confess. "Alright alright. I'll explain everything. I… just happen to realize that running a fully functioning lab at my house isn't exactly cheap. All my research and running equipment used up a lot of electricity and it worked the bill up so much that my parents had to cut it off completely."

"Ouch… that must've hurt." Rainbow nodded. "But what does that have to do with you looking for a new apartment? Don't tell me they're kicking you out."

"Of course not. It's… kind of a future planning actually. With next semester being our last time here in CHS and my scholarship in Everton already secured, I need to find a new place closer to the academy. My brother got me these so I can narrow my options."

"Ooooh~ how chic!" Rarity cooed grabbing a page off her folder. "A penthouse? Now that's living the dream. Wide open spaces, magnificent views for inspiration and imagine all the parties you can throw. And… oh… oh my." Her praises stopped when she looked at the monthly price tag. "I guess that's a little too rich for my blood. But it's always nice to dream."

"How about this one?" Rainbow suggested pointing at one particular building. "This one has a private gym and an obstacle course!"

"This one looks nice." Fluttershy pointed over to a selection. "Two bedrooms, kitchen/living room put together and one bathroom. It also has a nice balcony view of the river. And the price isn't so bad either."

"Yeah, I thought of getting that one too. But they don't allow animals. And there's no way I'm moving out without Spike at my side. Not to mention I'm going to need the extra room for my lab if I want to get any research done." She paused. "I could turn the extra bedroom into my lab... but I'm a little worried that it might take more than I could afford."

Sunset groaned in return. "I guess we're not getting much out of the investigation. Without any leads or suspects, we're practically back to square one."

"Investigation?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "Are you guys still doing that? I thought Principal Celestia booted out our club."

"She booted our club out of school." Twilight nodded in confirmation. "But she didn't disband the club. She said that we're still free to carry out our investigation but we're not allowed to bring trouble to CHS. Meaning we can't use any of the school resources. And… we're not entirely out of leads either." She brought up the bracelet with the black gem attached to it. "Before they cut off my lab I was able to get a reading from this artifact. As Sunset guessed, it's a magical device that acts similar to our geode. It uses magical energy to convert it into spells. But here's the kicker: This trinket… was manmade."

Sunset gasped. "Manmade? Are you sure?"

"Definitely. Natural gemstones are often form with other minerals or gases which causes color variations, fissures and such. This one was definitely lab grown as it's 99% pure of the same element. You can even see that this thing was freshly cut. Whoever made this was definitely a professional."

"Not to mention that it would go well with an evening gown." The gang turned over a lazy eye to their resident fashionista. "What? I can't help it. Say what you want about that little thing, you have to admit that an accessory like that will definitely fit well with just about anything. Everything does look better in black."

"Anyway…" Twilight continued. "I also found out what Professor Cinch was using it for. After garnering the magical residue, she seemed to have been using this magic bracelet like a scanner." She noted their confused look. "She was looking for more magic. That's why her spell was spread all over the city. She was looking for strong sources of magical energy."

"That makes sense." Applejack nodded. "She'd use that thingie to look for magic and send that big bad wolf of hers to do the dirty work."

"And that's not all." Twilight added much to everyone's anticipation. "I also think she might've found some too." She pulled out a map of the city laying it on the table. "The readings were a bit vague but I think she might've actually found real powerful sources of magic. And they're not small puddles like those that we found around the world in our adventures. I'm talking big strong, possibly renewable sources of magic. Bigger than all our geodes combined."

The gang huddled around the map noting the red dots placed around the city. They were all scattered and none of them within driving distances.

"That's… a lot of magic." Fluttershy stated.

"And get this. They all share the same structural reading as the magic in the Yaztec artifacts! This proves that magic is a naturally recurring element in this world! An energy that can be harnessed. Think of the possibilities!" She gleefully added, her smile widening like a madman.

"If they're so powerful, why didn't your scanners detect them?" Sunset asked.

"A good question, President Sunset. That's because they're outside of the city itself. My scanners can only find magic inside the city. These ones… are miles away. I suggest we make it the CIC's mission to find these pockets of magic and study them – or at the very least contain them and keep them out of the wrong hands."

"Ooooh! Road trip for the holidays?" Pinkie was all in, naturally of course.

It sounded like a good plan. Perhaps a long term project in the long run. It would definitely keep them busy too with the Winter Holidays coming up. Most of their part time job would freeze up, some quite literally. Other than their family obligations to spend with their folks and Rarity's new assignment with her new boss, they were practically free. And as far as they knew they were the only semi-official authority regarding magic.

"That sounds like a great string of adventures and all but I think you're missing something here." Rainbow Dash spoke up pointing at the map. "Most of these places are huge. It'll take forever to find what we're looking for."

But that of course only made Twilight grin even wider. "Fear not fellow members. Because I already have a solution for that." She paused for effect. "We're going to let the good people of Canterlot help us." Again they turned a confused look except for the fashionista. "With the assistance of our lovely Web Designer – Rarity – we've changed our club website to be a gossiping ground for myths, legends and mysterious sightings." She grabbed her phone, connecting it to the internet and showing the website itself where their club was on.

"I designed the logo of course." Rarity stated proudly. "A little flashy. But if we want to get our name out there we have to be a little bold."

"People from all over the countryside can log in, chat, spread rumors, post pictures and even discuss things. Like say… the new mysterious cavern at the Everfree Forest?" She showed them a photo posted by an anonymous user showing a few odd looking sites. "Or the spooky voices at the old coal mine? Once people start talking, I simply cross reference keywords here and there with other local websites and then bang! We got our next lead."

"Wow…" Sunset whistled, amazed. "That's very impressive. And very efficient. It certainly beats running around aimlessly. Great job, Vice President."

"Thank you. And with all this information, I plan to check the place out this Friday."

"Friday?" The gang choked.

"Isn't that a bit early?" Fluttershy stated unsure.

"The earlier the better." Twilight explained casting a look at her friends. "Who knows what kind of mishap can happen if these things are left unchecked? Better to have them in our hands rather than the wrong ones. Besides Principal Celestia declared this Friday to be an unofficial day off to give everyone a chance to study for the finals. What a better way to spend an open holiday than an adventure?"

"We're kinda busy this week Sugar Cube. Big Mac's getting released from the hospital tomorrow and I want to make sure he's settled in nicely. Not to mention that we have the finals coming up too."

"And I have to prepare my collection for Mr. Hoity Toity's show that day. You know I can't miss it."

"The animals at the pet store also need care after their food poisoning."

"I also got a makeup test." Rainbow Dash groaned. "I didn't exactly do well on my last pop-quiz so Professor Doodle's got me doing overtime."

"And I'm working at the diner right after school." Pinkie added. "It's going to be my last shift there before the Winter Holiday. With bonuses to boot!"

Wow… Twilight almost forgot how busy they were during the last months of winter.

"Well I got a shift at the sushi store on the weekend later on, so I'm free." Sunset stated much to her relief. "I guess it's just gonna be you and me Twilight."

It would certainly seems that way.

**(Midtown Apartment)**

"Sweep sweep sweep sweep! Twirl your broom and sweep sweep sweep sweep!"

Sonata bobbed her head to the rhythm of the music as she swept through the apartment doing a little… winter cleaning. It wasn't the fanciful thing for a Siren to do but considering that the only other option was to sit around and watch TV, the little airhead decided to be productive for today. And considering that this apartment was the only roof they over their heads had she thought that it deserved some extra love.

"They actually made a song about sweeping?" Aria stated from the couch grabbing a cookie from the bowl in front of her as she eyed the television with a lazy eye. "And here I thought this world couldn't get any more bizarre. Humans are so weird."

"I know, right?" Sonata cooed, still sweeping. "I mean who would've thought it'd be so catchy? You'll never see something like that back in Equestria. This band is like… gonna be the next big thing. I just know it."

"Hmph. Next thing you know they'll be making a song about mopping and dusting too."

"Actually they have a song about Spring Cleaning which isn't as popular as Sweeping but you get the idea." She stopped half way when she noted someone coming through the door. Unsurprisingly it was none other than their fearless leader, with groceries. "Hey Adagio. Okaeiri nasai."

Aria shot her a look. "What's that?"

Sonata shrugged. "Oh it's just some greeting thing I heard about. Apparently the sushi store comes from this far off island country and they have this language which is super rad."

"Of course you'd learn something so useless." She turned to Adagio. "So how's work?"

"Well… the boss isn't a pain in the tail. And the pay is decent. Not a lot of negative energy to go around. But so far no complaint. Got a pretty good haul from the leftover table." She added, which Sonata giddily dug in. "I paid this month's rent so we'll be living off canned goods for a while."

"You sure you don't want me to tag along?" Aria offered taking one from the leftover box. "We could make double if both of us were working."

"There's no opening at the restaurant." Adagio muttered lowly as she hung her coat. The three of them then sat around the leftover box picking it off together. "And with the Winter Holiday just around the corner, there won't be much of an option. And even if there was an opening, you think it'll be a good idea to leave Sonata alone?" They turned to their resident airhead who continued to gobble on her share oblivious to their stare.

"Fair enough, but you can't do this alone. Why don't you stay behind and I'll take your shift? You got wasted the other night fighting that witch."

"I'm fine."

"I beg to differ."

"I said I'm fine…" She repeated throwing a stronger tone. "The magic I got from that boy was more than enough."

"Yeah, but we can't go on like this." Aria pointed out. "I've been taking Sonata to that fast food place ever since we stopped working at the internet café. The negative emotions there is appalling. We need a real meal to sustain us."

"I'm working on it." Adagio sighed back. Though she can't really fault them. Negative emotions didn't exactly come in spades around here. Not unless they generated it themselves and that would take a lot of time and effort. Something they were all in short supply. "Speaking of the café. Did you give the boss a call like I asked?"

Aria threw an annoyed glare. "Yup. And no, he's not taking us back. That idiot said something about us breaking people's hearts. He already got us replaced with some chumps from Uptown."

"Great… now we need to find a new place to gather negative energy. So much for that plan." She nibbled her favorite sushi, the one with the salmon. She didn't really quite have the names jotted down yet. "Looks like we'll be dining on fast food for a while too."

"So… just like old times?"

"Like old times." They hated the old times.

"Oooooh~ this one has cheese on it!"

**(Evening) (Pinkie's house)**

The trip back home wasn't all that special for Pinkie. Normally she'd have a mini party on the school bus using her giant confetti cannon to spread love and pastries to her fellow bus riders. But with the finals coming up next week she's been having less and less time to prepare treats for them. Studying has become a higher priority to baking and that always leaves her in a bitter mood. Even more now seeing as Maud had some business in the museum.

After waving the bus goodbye the party gal got to her house. It wasn't as big or as fancy as many of the residents in Midtown. Her parents were old fashioned folk who held tradition and the old way of life above all else. While they have come a long way from living in stone houses, that didn't mean they welcomed the future with open arms. Heck, it practically took her her dad to have four kids before he finally decided to replace his horse drawn carriage with a working car.

And speaking of cars, Pinkie noted that there was one car parked just outside of her house. It looked very fancy. The brand alone looked like it would take years to pay off with her current job. Did they have a visitor? One of their distant relatives?

"Hey sis." Just as she reached the door, it opened up revealing a punk rock gal on the other side. "What's cracking?"

She gasped. "Limestone!? You're ba—ack!" Pinkie tried to reach out and put her eldest sister in a bear hug but was stopped by her mighty hands.

"Easy there you party animal. Remember what we talked about with your hugs?"

"To… not do it unless you approve?" She whimpered back throwing a cute pity eyes. "Pretty please?"

Limestone grunted back annoyingly. "Fine. I'll give you ten minutes of hug time free of charge. But that'll be my gift to you for this Holiday."

"EEEEEEP! Best… gift… EVER!" Without even waiting she took advantage of that gift and wrapped herself around Limestone curling like a snake. "When did you get back? I didn't even know you were coming back. I thought you were still studying in Oxhoof! Did you get me any souvenirs?"

The eldest of the Pie siblings had a face that stated [i]'I immediately regret this decision'[/i]. But thankfully she refrained from saying anything. "I got home this morning. And yes, I am still studying in Oxhoof but I'm on Winter Break. And no, I did not get you any souvenirs."

"Aww, that's ok big sis. Because I can get you plenty! We can get stuff from the mall and you can bring it back to your apartment and show it off to all your friends! It'll just be like old times!"

"I hate old times."

Pinkie laughed. "Bwahahaha! Classic Limestone. You and your silly jokes. But hey… cool car though." She gestured to the fancy car outside with her nose. "Did you buy that all by yourself? Looks pretty expensive. My big sister, splurging on her own salary."

"That's a Heimer vintage classic." Limestone explained. "It's one of the most expensive brand in the world. They don't' make them here."

"Ooooh! So you imported? That's so like you."

"I didn't drive here." She pushed the younger Pie down putting a pause on her gift hug. "It belongs to that guy dad's talking."

Oh? Dad actually has a friend that stopped by? There wasn't a lot of them but they normally had a good personality to show.

"Oooh! Is it someone we know? Is it Grandpa Granite? Uncle Andesite? Or or or…"

"Pinkamena." Their father's voice called out from the living room. "Would you kindly come here for a minute?"

She giddily replied. "Coming dad! So who's our surprised guests for to-day…" Her happy-go-lucky mood immediately went poof when she noted the face of their visitor. His darkened smoke-like hair flowing back while deep red-green eyes gripped her attention.

"Ms. Pie." The older gentleman greeted, one hand extended in offer as he rose from his seat, towering over the girl like a dark lord meeting with the hobbit for the first time. "It's a pleasure to see you again." The little pink girl froze like a deer in headlight.

"Pinkamena. Tis rude to keep our guest waiting." Her mother, Cloudy Quartz tapped her shoulder forcing her daughter to go on auto-mode greeting the older man back. "Me believes you recall our good friend Sombra from our last meeting? He is father to Flash Sentry. The boy in which courted you."

How could she forget? Sombra had been dad's number one clientele for the last few years. Their family owned an old mining/excavation company that have operated for generations since Canterlot was just an old dusty town. They did things the old fashion way using little to no heavy machineries in their work. If you wanted to find oil, gold, or an ancient cursed ruin city at the bottom of a creepy ravine surrounded by lava and all manner of death traps? All you need to do is give the family a call and they'll solve your problem in no time at all, customer satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

"Uh… hi! I'm Pinkie!" Pinkie mentally slapped herself. He knew that already.

"Courted!? Really?" Limestone had her eyes bolted up in the background. "When did this happen?"

"Flash told me all about your dining experience." Sombra added which made the girl in his hand blush.

"He did?"

"Yes. He told me the hilarious story of the waiter that spilled spaghetti all over himself. And he mentioned that you were quite… adorable to boot."

"He… he did?" Her cheeks slowly began to burn. "Ahe… ahehehe. He wouldn't happen to say anything else… would he?"

"I'm afraid I don't really recall much of what he said. But he didn't seem to mind for a second outing."

[i]He would!?[/i]

No. NO! Pinkie! Don't fall for it. That's a blatant lie. He's probably just saying that to get your parents' approval. Flash said that he wouldn't be interested. Don't be duped.

"That sounds like a terrific idea." Igneous Rock, her father, added. And no, [i]it wasn't a terrific idea dad[/i]. "Perhaps we should have them go for a second outing."

"Dad!" Pinkie protested.

"Wonderful." Sombra nodded wearing a knowing smile. "As a matter of fact, I'm holding a donation event this weekend for the unfortunate souls from the big fire the other day." Pinkie turned to him surprised. "And my son would be playing with his friends. Perhaps your daughter would be keen in helping."

"An astute idea." Her father agreed, placing one hand across his chest. "It is a Pie family value to provide aid for the less fortunate when possible."

"Excellent. I'm certain my son would be more than happy to see you again." He laughed softly before picking up a few documents on the coffee table. "Well, would you look at the time? I have to get home. I wish we could talk more Igneous. I could really use your company's expertise in my next excavation."

"I'm sure it can wait fair old friend. The ground isn't suitable for digging at this time of year. Perhaps after the snow has melted, can we continue this."

The older gentleman nodded back in agreement. "Yes. Of course. Till next time then. Pinkie, Ms. Pie. Mrs. Pie. Good day." He tipped his imaginary hat to the ladies before casually walking out back to his super fancy car.

Pinkie could do nothing but watch as both her parents and that guy simply agreed to let her go out with Flash – AGAIN! It almost sounded like they want the two of them to get together. Ugh… she can already tell that Maud was gonna have a field day the moment she hears this. Pinkie can already see her grinning face teasing her around the clock just to get a reaction.

Well tough luck sis, because right now she was immune to her teasing.

"So~." Limestone spoke up, her tone dripping with suggestions as she blocked the stairs leading to her room. "Who's the unlucky guy?"

Ah cake fudge.


	19. A Glimpse at the Big Picture

**Chapter 19: A Glimpse at the Big Picture**

**(Thursday) (Evening) (Rarity's house)**

In through the front door, around the back, peep through the window, and jump off Jack!

"Tada! Done at last!" Rarity declared with a proud raising of her hand as the last stitch of her work was finished. "Ten variants of my buttoned blazers all knitted and ready to be put on display. And people tell me that doing all of this in one night is simply impossible. HA! Take that Manehattan Weekly!"

"They're beautiful, sis!" Sweetie Belle sang her praises, a smile on her face. "You really outdid yourself this time."

"That's sweet of you sweetie. But it'll take a lot more than this to impress someone as skillful and knowledgeable as Hoity Toity." She patted her sister gratefully. "But nonetheless this will, at the very least, get me in good standing with him. I can't wait to show him my designs. Which reminds me. Would you mind putting my design folders in order? I want to present them to Hoity when I meet him. One of them is bound to catch his attention."

"No problem." The little Belle gave a playful salute and hastily made her way to Rarity's work table putting down several notebooks where the fashionista had jotted down all of her future ideas.

"Speaking of attention." Rainbow Dash forced a cough to gather her attention. "Can I move now? I think my legs are starting to cramp up from all this 'No-moving' you made me do."

"Ah… of course." Rarity allowed it. "You may move. Just be sure not to make any tares. Otherwise I'll have to do the whole thing all over again." And neither of them wanted that. "Thank you again Rainbow Dash. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Oh sure you can." She flashed a toothy smile. "But probably 20% less cooler."

Rarity rolled her eyes, already used to the usual response. "Oh dear. Is it night already? My word. Time really does fly when you're doing your labor of love. Looks like we'll be ordering takeout today. Would you care to join us Rainbow? Consider it payment for putting yourself up there for so long."

"Ugh… love to. But I got to get home and study. I still got my makeup test with Professor Doodle tomorrow. Maybe this weekend you can treat me to pizza."

**(Canterlot Mall)**

Sunset felt like a pack mule today. And that wasn't surprising seeing that she was being treated like one.

When she agreed to come to the mall with Twilight today to prepare for expedition tomorrow she didn't really think much about it and agreed not really expecting much. Twilight said that they were only packing a few essential things. Sunset probably thought a few gadgets here and there. But after two hours of shopping later, she wondered if she should've just slept through the day. With all the gears they've prepared, they practically looked like hardcore explorers or prospectors. The only things missing were drills and pickaxes.

"Twilight. You know how I like to prepare for all eventualities. But don't you think you're overdoing it just a tad bit?"

"Not at all." Twilight casually replied. "These are simply the basics. We're about to go in an unexplored cave system. Who knows how deep it goes or what we'll even find down there. We can't afford to leave anything to chance. So anyway. I'm thinking we should double up on protective gears and maybe some extra repellant along the way."

"Yeah… but why do we need diving gears?" Sunset gestured to the third bag on her left arm.

"Just in case we run into an underground water system!" That's your reasoning? "Come on. Don't give me that look. Haven't you seen Daring Do and the Cavern of Lost Souls? If Daring Do had been a little more prepared, she wouldn't have lost the Arsene Amulet to Dr. Caballeron and his goons and had to go through Saddle Arabia for the whole ordeal."

Yeah... and the movie would've been an hour shorter too. But Sunset didn't want to point that out.

"I'm thinking that the adventures of a fictional character in a story isn't the perfect example of survival in real life." She put the bags down resting her arms. "All we need are our phones, flashlights and some food. We don't need any of this."

"But what if we get attacked by poisonous snakes, or get attack by cave bears, or worse yet… get bitten by cave bats!?"

"Ok. Snake bites are… possible." Sunset agreed somewhat. "And maybe we'll find bats. But I seriously doubt there'll be bears there."

Twilight folded her arm, cocking one brow in a challenge. "Oh really? Where do you think those bears in the animal shelter came from?"

…

Sunset opened her mouth to argue, but then thought about it for a second before coming to a conclusion. "So I'm thinking we triple on the bear repellants and the bug spray, just in case."

"Triple it is!" They gave each other a congratulatory high-five and laughed at their idiocy. But then Twilight noted a familiar figure sticking out of the corner of her glasses. "Hey… is that Flash?" They turned to the boy noting he was at a toy store making a rather large purchase.

"Blue hair and sweet guitar?" Sunset smirked eyeing her friend. "Couldn't be anyone else. And… is he buying a box load of… stuffed animals?"

Out of curiosity they approached him, which he quickly sensed. "Oh, hey there you two. Doing a little last minute shopping for the weekend?"

"I'll say." Sunset chuckled, looking over the large box brimming with all manner of childish toys like choo choo trains, dolls and other kiddy stuff. "And so are you, apparently. Aren't you a little old to be playing with toys?"

"You're never too old to play with toys." He countered with his own grin. "I still keep my favorite first ever action figure of Rockhoof the Mighty in my room at all times." But then he paused at that remark. "Wow… that sounded a lot better when it was in my head."

Twilight stifled a laugh. "Don't worry Flash. We won't tell anyone that you still play with dolls."

"Action figures. Totally different."

"Sure." Sunset rolled her eyes. "And you splurging for the Winter Holiday has nothing to do with it."

"I can say the same thing for you." He gestured to the stacks of bags on her arms to which she blushed.

"Th… they're all Twilight! I was just holding it for her!" She shoved the plastic bags in her direction hearing her yelp on the floor.

The boy laughed in return. "Hey it's cool. These toys aren't for me either." He leaned in to whisper. "They're for the families who lost their homes in the fire the other day." Oh! The girls cringed at the thought. "Yeah. Many of them pretty much lost everything in that fire. I kinda feel responsible. And… I figured that it was the Winter Holidays. So what better way to give back to them than with a bunch of presents?"

"W… wow Flash." Twilight flicked her glasses up, her voice sounding awed and impressed. "That's really sweet of you. Does your dad know you're buying all of this?"

"Of course. He's the one paying for it." He replied handing a credit card to the cashier. "He's actually holding a charity event as part of his election campaign. And seeing as he'll be giving to the city itself, he may as well get a few voters while he's at it."

"So… it's a selfish charity." Sunset smugly stated.

Flash opted to argue but found the name to be fairly fitting. "I wouldn't say it that way but yeah. Kinda. A lot of folks will be there to help out. And I don't want to toot my own horn here. But yours-truly will be performing live on stage as well." He patted his coat down being as show-off-ish as he could. "Not to brag but there'll be at least five hundred people watching us. Way bigger than what the music festival ever pulled."

"How very humble of you." Twilight snickered. "Make sure Rainbow Dash doesn't hear about it or she might try something to out-stage you."

"Heh… she's welcome to try. But I have something that'll blow their minds away. I got Micro Chips working on a little surprise." Flash winked which in turn made her blush. "I don't suppose you girls would want to stop by and help out. The event is this Saturday at the park. We could certainly use the extra hands – and it'd be nice to have you around."

"Wouldn't miss it." Sunset nodded in agreement.

"As long as our little outing doesn't take too long."

Flash blinked. "Outing? Are you guys going somewhere?"

But Sunset covered her partner's mouth before she could say anymore. "Oh we thought we'd hang out together tomorrow to uh… study!" She forced a smile out sending a signal to Twilight to hush. "You know? For the finals? She's helping me brush over a few subjects that I've been having some trouble on." That made sense. Right?

"Really? I figured you were great in every subject." And she really was. When it came to science, math or sports, Sunset had more than enough credits to pass all of them with barely much effort. Apparently the educational system here was pretty much child's play compared to the lessons she had to learn in Equestria.

"Well they do get harder every year." She reasoned poorly. "And I haven't really had the chance to study these last few days. So an extra brain would help."

"Oh… ok then." The boy had the look saying [i]'I'm not buying that'[/i] but decided to let it go for now. The cashier soon returned with his receipt and handed the literal box load of toys. "I'll see you on Saturday then."

"Yeah… absolutely." They watched at the boy departed with his purchase. It took a while before Twilight decided to finally pull her friend's hand off her mouth.

"What was that about?"

Sunset shrugged feigning ignorance. "What was what about?"

"That!" She pointed at the boy in the distance. "Why didn't you tell him that we were going to the Everfree Woods?"

"Because…" She paused, looking the floor guiltily. "I don't want him involved."

"Involved?" Twilight raised a brow as they left the store together. "Are you still upset that he saved us from Cinch the other night?"

"No of course not." She eyed her. "Ok. Maybe not entirely. I know things could've gotten bad if he didn't show up. But I don't want him to endanger himself for our sakes. And if we told him about our little adventure to Everfree forest, I'll bet my bits he'll join us at the drop of a hat."

"Ok. Firstly, that's a bit of an exaggeration. Flash isn't that irresponsible. He's a strong, kind, brave and independent boy who knows what he's getting into. If it wasn't for him, Cinch would've taken all our magic and who knows what might've happened. Second… what are bits?"

"I know… and I'm grateful for that. But… I just have this feeling that one of these days, he might seriously get himself hurt. First his car, now he's getting scorched. And… the worst part of it is that we're responsible for it."

"Nothing bad will happen to him Sunset." Twilight reassured her. "He's big enough to know what he's getting into." She gave a care free smile. "Besides, if he's with us then at least we know there'll be two powerful magic users to protect him. Now come on. We still have time to get those bear repellants."

Sunset tilted her head in confusion. "Wait… those actually exists here?"

[center][b](Celestia/Luna's Apartment)[/b][/center]

Luna sat by the dinner table that night eating peacefully while listening to her sister talk on the phone. Her lips curled to a sultry smile as she saw how bashful Celestia was. With the way she waved her hand, playing with the long end of her hair and grinning like she just won the lottery, one good guess would say that she was talking with her new boyfriend.

It was rare to see Celestia this way. If anything it kind of reminded her of the time when they were still in college. She'd be all giddy whenever she talked to him and they'd spend the odd days out late at night. God knows what goes on in their private moments.

It took about half an hour before she finally came back to the table looking like she was luckiest girl in the world.

Luna placed her head on her hand wearing that knowing smile as she asked. "Sooo? What did he say?"

Celestia gave up on trying to hide anything from her sister anymore. If anything, denying it only made her all the more devious. "Nothing much. Sombra was just asking if I was faring well."

"And~?"

"And he wanted to invite me us to the charity event he's hosting in the park this Saturday."

She cooed. "Ooooh… another event? And out in the park? How romantic. I can see you two strolling down by the lake watching the moonlight glitter on the waters." Of course she'd like that too.

"He invited both of us, sister and all of our old friends from school. Besides he's hosting the event. I doubt I'll get to see much of him."

"Oh please. For a man like him, he'll likely find a way one way or another." Luna grinned mischievously. "If I didn't know any better, it might even make a good place for a proposal." Her sister was not amused. "Too soon? Yeah I thought as much. But… just saying."

**(Friday) (Morning) (Everfree Woods) (Picnic ground parking lot)**

The Everfree Forest wasn't really much of a forest. At least not compared to the one in Equestria. From Sunset's point of view, it looked more like a string of meadows, trees and mountain clumped together around a river. The one in Ponyville was dark, deep and mysterious in various ways. The tree lines there were so thick that you could hardly see the sky at all. Heck, it even had literal Timberwolves and other manner of evil creatures haunting its trees. The Everfree forest here had about 1/3[sup]rd[/sup] the danger level of its worldly counterpart.

There were even a few settlement communities littered around the area with dirt roads leading deeper within. Some of Applejack's relatives also live here making it tamer by comparison.

"Uh… Twilight. Are you sure this is the right place? I don't see any caves around here." The two of them were standing over a large parking lot that was used by hikers who enjoyed a stroll in the woods. Sadly though there weren't any coming around here at this time of year. With the snow already piling in, you'd need a good reason to go delving into the woods. Even the forest rangers had put up warning signs discouraging folks from going too deep.

"Definitely. The map that our fellow website users gave us dictated that the cave with the mysterious voice is not far from here. But I understand your concerns so I took the liberty of getting a guide for us."

A guide?

"And here he is now." The egghead pointed over to the parking lot entrance where a truck rolled in parking right next to their vehicle.

A man with vibrant green hair stepped out with a lady-killer smile. "Hey there ladies."

"Timber?"

"Yup!" Twilight confirmed it with a smile of her own. "Timber is actually one of our website user."

"I was sure I left myself anonymous."

His girlfriend elbowed him. "Oh please. Sapphire Spruce? Can you be any more obvious?"

"I was thinking of you when I made that." He let out a small chuckle tapping her nose. "Anyway, I figured I'd give you guys a hand with your new club activities. When Twilight told me that she wanted to visit the spooky cave, I volunteered. Figured I'd spend more time with my favorite girl."

"Oh stop that. Now you're just teasing."

"Only because I know you like it." Oh god. The sweetness level these two are showing are off the charts. Sunset felt her stomach churning her breakfast. "So ready to head out? We have to do this while there's still sunlight. You don't want to be caught dead in the woods at night."

Sunset nodded and told him to lead the way. And led the way, he did.

xxxxxxxxxx

They took a dirt road path just a few clicks off the parking lot where the tree lines were thin. The snow covered trees made for an excellent view around this part of countryside making it feel like they were back in nature's embrace. You can even spot several wildlife going on about which Fluttershy would be more than happy to see.

But as they pass through the area, Sunset and Twilight began to notice the trees becoming sparser and sparser the deeper they went. Whole sections of the forest seemed to have been cut, some of which were uprooted from the ground. It was as if someone or something had been deforesting this part of the woods.

"Uh… Timber. Is it just me or are there less trees around here than normal?"

The boy groaned into his hand. "So you noticed huh? No… it's not just you. It's the construction." He led them to a nearby hill above the trees where you can see a large portion of the forest. "You can blame that little black spot over there." He pointed to a large construction site in the distance where cranes and other heavy equipment were parked and a giant billboard holding the face of a certain millionaire winking back at them.

"Is that… Filthy Rich?"

"Everfree Day Spa Resort." Twilight read the name out loud. "Wait… is he building a spa!? But I thought we raised enough money for the camp."

"We did." Timber nodded. "But that didn't stop him from buying the land next door and building his spa there. Apparently he got it for dirt cheap from his new [i]'Partner'[/i] so now he's building his high-class spa right here. And it's going to be opening next month for the holidays. Right when we have our new campers too. They've been clearing the forest for weeks now to make room for all their equipment."

"Ouch." Sunset cringed. "How's Gloriosa taking it?"

"How do you think? She's been having fits. I can tell because she twitches every time someone mentions it. But like before, she tries not to show it."

"Let me guess. [i]'I got this'[/i]!" The redhead added doing her hand motion copying the camp manager's style which earned her a couple of snickers from the pair. "I'm sure your camp will do fine even with that new spa. It's not like people will just ditch the camp to enjoy a nice and hot relaxing bath." Rarity might but that wasn't saying much.

"I hope so. I really don't want all our renovations to go to waste." Something tells her that wasn't really going to be case. "Anyway, we're here." He pushed the bushes away revealing a cave mouth on the other side. It was a lot larger than what was shown in the website.

"Whoa…" Sunset gasped. "That's a big cave."

"Yeah. I know right? Hikers tend to come through here to get a view of the woods. When construction started on the day spa they accidentally caused a rockslide which opened this new cave system. Some people tried to explore it before but they ran off when they heard the spooky noise coming from within."

"Spooky noise? What kind of noise?"

"The voices of the dead! Ooooooh~~~! Goh! My ribs." He clutched the side of his body feeling Twilight's elbow.

"Knock it off. This isn't like one of your campfire stories. Besides, everyone knows that strange noises from caves are simply ambient sounds caused by wind and the natural shape and/or structure of the cave itself. Think of it as a giant flute playing one tone."

Wow. Way to ruin the mystery there Twilight.

"I know. But you gotta admit: This place has the making of an awesome ghost story."

"Ghosts are merely figments of people's imagination. There are no such thing." She paused. "But if there was… maybe I can find a way to efficiently harvest ectoplasm! Oooh! Maybe I can ask Flash to fund my research!"

Sunset chuckled but quickly noted something wrong with Timber. Did... did his eye twitch just now?

"Speaking of ghosts, did you make sure you packed your gear for cave exploration?"

Twilight casually grab her backpack revealing the multitude of equipment she purchased from the store. "Flashlight, flares, glow sticks, diving masks, snacks and refreshing energy drinks."

"Diving mask?"

Sunset groaned. "Don't ask."

He thankfully didn't. "Well if you have everything, then let's do this!"

"That's fine Timber. Sunset and I can take it from here. It might be a bit dangerous going in."

"Oh no you don't." The boy protested sternly. "The last time I allowed a girl to go into a cave alone she discovered these magical gemstones that gave her supernatural powers and nearly turned our camp into an evil lair of nature." The two can guess who he was referring to. "I'm coming too."

"Are... you sure? It could be dangerous."

"Oh please. Danger is my middle name." He paused, noting their blank stares. "Ok it's not. But it would certainly sound cool! Timber Danger Spruce! AKA: Danger Sprout."

Sunset laughed. "Whatever you say, Sprout."

Twilight wanted to protest but immediately went against her own wishes. If she pushed him out of the action she'd be acting just like Sunset. "Alright. You can come. But if anything magically dangerous happens, you let us deal with it? Ok?"

"Camp Everfree scout's honor." Gathering their courage together the three marched into the cave pulling out their flashlights to illuminate the path.

The cave itself was large and open. It was probably big enough to accommodate Sunset's apartment. Provided the lack of electricity. But despite its size, the place was rather easy to traverse. The ground itself was smooth and weathered. It gave the kind of feeling that only Mother Nature can do.

This went on for about ten or so minutes before Sunset started to notice Timber trying and failing to get his girlfriend's attention. Poor guy got the guts to reach for her hand only to find Twilight finding interest with the wall and the formation of stones. The boy grumbled and groaned but he wasn't giving up. He even went for the **obviously-fake-yawning-then-overextending-his-arm-around-your-special-someone** trick and he missed – by a large margin. She heard of people trying too hard but this guy was the literal definition of it. Heck it was painful just to watch him fumble around.

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

Ok Rarity. This is it. The big leagues. You've worked hard for this day so you're not going to screw this up. You've gone from independent designer to working for the best of the best. Time to take off the kiddy gloves and show the world what you're made of.

You didn't spend all that time working for Ms. Hemline and not learn a few tricks. If you want to be noticed, you have to be hungry. Yank fate by the hair, and pull that lady with everything you have! Make noises, be positive, never show weakness to the boss or you can kiss your butt to the curb.

Slowly reeling, the fashionista took a deep breath and stared at the door in front of her. The atmosphere here in Uptown was a league different from the rest of the city.

Fancy mansions as far as the eye can see. Paved roads, cleaned sidewalks and decors so beautiful they may as well be putting on a parade. Even the people here dressed differently. She can judge the wealth of a man just by the clothes on his back… and the jiggling of his wallet. It was either the ruffling unchangeable bills or the sound of credit cards scratching the leather.

One of these days she was gonna move to a house here. One of these days.

With another deep breath she pushed through the doors finding a woman decked in a secretary outfit waiting for her by the cashier. Judging by the amount of items put on display, the store was just about ready to open.

"Name?" The secretary lady asked to which she blinked.

"Oh… um… Rarity. I was asked to come here to present my collection for Hoity Toity." She gestured to her clothes rack which she brought herself.

If the lady had any interest, she certainly didn't show it. Instead she returned to her table looking down on a piece of paper scanning for her name. When she finally spotted it she looked up and nodded. "You're expected. Mr. Toity is waiting for you at the stage. You're the last to arrive."

"Last to… arrive?" Rarity wasn't really sure what that meant. She's never been late. In fact she was 10 minutes early. The secretary lady didn't seem interested in explaining and simply led her to the back of the shop where the amphitheater was. And from there she immediately understood what she meant.

Standing in a row on stage was a group of young talented designers. Each and every one of them vying for Hoity's attention. And the master of fashion was there too, going through their collection like a demi-god judging their work trying to see if he would deem them worthy… or be banished forever into the void.

"Mr. Toity." The secretary spoke up catching the man's attention. "The last of your invitees, has arrived."

Hoity Toity glanced at the fashionista under his shades before showing a wild smile. "Aha! Rarity! Of course! You are the one who made the adorable Musketeer poodle! Welcome. Please join us. We'll be starting in a few minutes."

Rarity gladly took her place on the stage standing by her other fellow designers. She adjusted her clothes rack like everyone else until she noted a familiar face beside her. "Vignette? Vignette Valencia is that you?"

"Rarity! How good to see you again my fellow chic!" They shared a light hug. "I knew I wasn't hearing things. What are you doing here?"

"Hoity Toity invited me for his pageant show."

"Ah! Me too! I guess he certainly has an eye for fashion if he invited the both of us."

"He is one of the best in the business after all."

Vignette laughed. "I know. Oh this is such a welcome surprise. We definitely have to catch up after this. My treat."

"Oh no. I couldn't possibly."

"Quiet please." Hoity Toity spoke up garnering their attention. "Thank you. Now. I'm sure you already know why I have gathered you all here. As you may have heard, the Winter Holidays is coming up and I intend to host the pageant show here at this very place. You were brought here because you are all recommended to be both imaginative, and talented. And most importantly each of you have had some measure of exposure to the public." The participants all nodded in agreement on that part. Even Rarity has been seen on TV every once in a blue moon along with Ms. Hemline. "But to truly thrive in this business, to shine like the stars themselves, you must ensure that everyone… EVERYONE knows your name. Your brand is your creed, your badge of pride! Which is why each and every one of you will be competing in the pageant. The media will be broadcasting your designs to the world so exposure to the public will be guaranteed."

"Ooooh!" Rarity giddied. "How exciting."

"However…" Of course there'd be a catch. "Do not think that this show will be some charity. Only the best of the best among you may pass through. I am here to weed out the weak from the strong. Only three from the forty of you will be selected. And those that are picked will become my new protégés and you will bring your designs and join me at the fashion show of the Grand Runway next year."

Eyes bulged as a collective gasp came from the crowd. Murmurs of excitement echoed as many planned to form secret alliances within.

"Ex… excuse me." Vignette raised her hand up. "Are you talking about the…"

"The Grand Runway fashion show in Las Pegasus. Yes." Hoity answered already knowing the question.

The Grand Runway…

Rarity felt her breath leaving her body. There isn't a fashion designer alive who didn't know that event. It was a three day festival that can last as long as a week if necessary. Once every five years or so, the greatest and brightest designers from all over the world would gather in Las Pegasus for 15 minutes of spotlight. The Grand Runway was the pinnacle of every designers' ambition, their greatest desire made manifest. The slots in that event very limited to only barely a hundred. Only the most talented and influential are permitted. But every now and then, some star would introduce someone new into the fold letting them bask in the glory of fame. Those that show their designs on that runway are guaranteed to become famously rich in a matter of minutes!

Sponsors, talk show hosts and all manner of media exposure would make every participant known throughout the world.

Many of them here would tear each other apart just to get a spot on that show.

"But do not expect this to be easy." Hoity added bringing them all back to reality. "In the weeks you will be spending with me, you will all be challenged in more ways than you can imagine. The pageant is in 3 weeks' time. And by the end of each week, I will eliminate the worst of each of you until only 3 remain. Do not expect mercy from me. Compris?"

They nodded. The rules were simple enough. Be the last designer standing. It's pretty much a standard game of Battle Royale, fashion designer edition.

"Excellent." He continued, eyeing each of the competition fiercely. "Now, you have all brought what I asked of you. Good. This shows that you are committed and have some spunk! For the pageant, you will bring the best your puny brains can make. This pageant requires imagination, a sense of the times and art! And the theme for the first part shall be: Magic fantasy!"

"Magic?" Rarity raised a quizzical brow.

"Yes! Magic! The mystery of the culture itself! The culmination of stories passed through generations. Dragons, mermaids, unicorns, adventurers and dark lords! Elves and dwarves. Knights in armor saving princesses from lonely towers trapped by foul wizards! Bring me five of your best examples by next Friday! Only half of you shall move on to the next round. Move!" With that last order the designers scrambled like headless chickens. "All materials will be provided and paid for. You may get them at the back of the stage. You may work here or at home. I do not care. All that matters is the final product! Do not fail me!"

Free fabric? Rarity's eyes gleamed as she dashed off to the back with the rest of her rivals and saw the numerous rolls of silk, wool, reeds and leather provided. This was going to be her time. Her moment to shine. And nothing was going to stop her.

**(Everfree cave)**

_How deep does this cave go?_

That was a question ringing in Sunset's head as they pressed through the seemingly endless tunnel. It had been well over an hour since they entered the cave and thankfully it's been a singular straight path. But the deeper they went, the more everything here started to look the same. It began to feel like they were walking in circles.

Sunset pressed the side of her head trying to remove that thought. She sensed no magic around here but she could also be wrong. The magic of this world didn't exactly follow the rules of Equestria. Here, magic was just plain bizarre in all kinds of wa…

"Yeow!"

Twilight flinched quickly turning her flashlight in her direction. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Sunset waved it off kneeling to reach her feet. "The sole of my boots just tore off, that's all. I guess it finally reached the end of its mileage. I don't suppose you packed some glue?"

"No, but I did bring duct tape." Twilight showed her the tape to which her friend gladly accepted. "Let's take a quick break and rest up for now. I brought snacks." She gently pulled Sunset to a flat stony surface to use as a seat putting a can of soda along with a bag of chips by her side. "You stay here while I go and collect some rock samples. There are some fascinating specimens here." She didn't wait for a reply as she headed off to the closest rock formation.

Huh… and here she thought she'd only hear something like that from Maud.

Sunset returned her attention to her boot and slowly began wrapping the sole up with duct tape.

"Here, let me do that." Timber offered grabbing the tape from her hand. "Trust me. When it comes to fixing things or using duct tape, I'm your guy."

"Thanks." Sunset appreciated it and allowed him to handle the repairs. She would've dug into the snacks Twilight provided had she not noticed his oddly repressed irritated expression. "Is something wrong?"

The boy blinked back, the expression returning to ignorance. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

"You have that look on you. Like… you're mad about something."

"What? No~~. This is my normal face. I'm just being cautious. You know? Be prepared for all eventualities?" He didn't look like he was lying. Either that or he was really good at hiding his real thoughts. "You never know what can happen in these caves." He reached out for her hand to help her up but would soon regret it when Sunset's powers activated at the touch.

What she felt through him… wasn't exactly pleasant.

If she was to put a word into describing Timber's emotions right now, it would be… jealousy. A growing irritation building at the pit of his stomach. Like a pack of porcupines was playing a game of hopscotch in his belly. He's keeping it all in – or at the very least, he tried.

The boy was agitated. Perhaps even conflicted. And from what she saw in those visions, Twilight seemed to be the source of his anguish.

"Whoa…" The girl muttered softly. "Timber…" He let go of her hand as she whispered. "Are you… having relationship problems with Twilight?"

"What!?" He coughed, forcing out an awkward laugh. "Pfft… no! Of course not. What makes you say that? We're fine. I'm fine. She's fine." She gave him a frowned look which shattered his own illusion. "Ugh… is it that obvious?"

"Not really. But… a part of you kind of gave it away." She didn't want to mention her powers fearing he might take offense to it. "So what seems to be the problem? I thought you two were happy together."

"We are!" The boy stifled his voice as they turned to the girl in question who seemed strangely taken by a bunch of rocks. "I mean… I think we are. Don't get me wrong. Twilight is an amazing gal and I love being with her. But I get the feeling that I haven't been spending a lot of time with her."

"Didn't you guys go to the movies the other night?"

"Yeah and we had plans to go to the botanical garden but she kinda bailed on me at the last minute. Apparently something important came up. I assume it was something magic related."

He must be referring to that night at the museum.

"W… well Twilight has been busy these last few weeks. We all have our own lives to deal with."

"And not just that. It's been getting worse too." He added with a bit of concern in his voice. "These last few days she's been going on and on about this guy, Flash like he's the greatest. Every time we're on the phone she'd go on and on about him being so cool and awesome."

"Twilight has more than one guy friend."

"It's not that." He corrected quickly, making sure he didn't portray himself as a clingy possessive boyfriend. "Of course Twilight can talk to anyone she wants. But whenever she starts mentioning [i]'Him'[/i], I get this feeling that there's something more. Do you ever noticed your special someone having a deeper connection with someone other than you?"

Sunset opened her mouth and closed it thinking twice over what the guy was going through. Now that she thought about, her best friend does seem to have grown a soft spot for her ex-boyfriend ever since their time at Camp Everfree. Not surprising seeing how that guy has been around them these last few days. He's been going around, risking his neck over magical problems like some hero wannabe.

But then again he has been sweet on the girl too saving her flank from and pulling her out of a jam a few times already. Not to mention that [i]'Arts and Craft'[/i] project they've been handling. If anything, Twilight would almost feel indebted to the guy. It wouldn't be surprising that she'd have nothing but praises for him.

"Listen Timber. I'm… probably the last person who should be lecturing you about your love life. But I'm more than certain that it's not as bad as you think it is." She pat his shoulder reassuringly. "Flash is just a really good friend and I guess you could say that he's a bit of a worry wart. A lot of stuff has been going on around the city lately. And with Twilight moving out and this whole magic fiasco, we're kind of in a bind and…"

"Whoa whoa. Hold up. Back up a minute here." His eyes shot up. "Twilight's moving?"

"Yeah. She's graduating after the next semester and moving closer to Everton. The academy is a little up on the eastside of the city so she's looking for an apartment close by."

"Huh… she never said anything to me."

"I'm sure she just didn't want you to freak out. Don't worry about it. Be the better boyfriend she deserves." Sunset once again patted his shoulder reassuring him. "How about this? After we're done here, you can take Twilight off to some big romantic dinner. I'll just tell her I uh… forgot a dentist appointment."

"You'd do that?"

"Absolutely!" She pumped her chest proudly as she returned her broken boot back in its rightful foot. "And to prove to you that I'm committed I'll give you two 10 minutes of alone time."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

With a swift motion of her hand Sunset knocked her can of energy drink down letting it roll down the floor backtracking down where they came. "Oh no~ I dropped my drink and it's rolling back~. I'd better go and get it before it's lost forever… ooooh no~" With that poorly acted line given out she gave a knowing wink to the boy before casually walking back to get her beverage, making sure to take her time coming back.

It didn't take long for Timber to realize that he and Twilight were now alone in that stretch of the cave. He turned over to his girlfriend who still – surprisingly – busied herself with the rocks.

"Soooooooo… whatcha find?" The boy chimed in.

"Nothing much." Twilight replied fidgeting with her glasses with one hand while holding onto a magic tracker on the other. "I was hoping that this place would have some trace of magical energy. But my tracker isn't even giving a tick."

Ok Timber. You can do this. You're Twilight's boyfriend. No other guy is gonna swoop down and take her from right under your feet. There's no need to worry. You can just play it cool and be the bigger man. Be calm and understanding. Be the better boyfriend just like Sunset said..

"How come you never told me that you were moving?"

Or you can just go for the Hail-Mary approach and drop the bomb on the whole thing.

Twilight turned to face him, adequately shocked. "What?"

"Sunset told me that you were moving. How come you never said anything?"

"I… didn't think it was important." She said calmly though a hint of panic could be felt within. "Besides, I still have one semester ahead of me. I'll have plenty of time to pick and choose."

"Yeah… but the least you could've done was give me a heads up." Timber reasoned. "Don't you think your boyfriend deserves to know this kind of stuff? It feels like you don't tell me anything anymore."

Well she has been kind of busy but that was hardly an excuse. Twilight lowered her equipment eyeing him guiltily. "Sorry Timber. It's just that with all this magic stuff going on – I guess I've just been preoccupied."

"I know that I don't have any clue on your magic. But shouldn't we talk a bit on stuff like this? I feel like we're always missing out on each other. I really want this thing of ours to work and I can't do that if you won't open up to me." He unconsciously kicked a pebble on the ground turning his head the other way. "I want to be part of your life too."

"I… didn't know you felt that way." She admitted. "But in my defense this is kind of my first ever serious relationship. I guess you can say I'm… kind of new with this whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing."

"We've been dating for over a year now."

Has it been that long? It certainly didn't feel that way.

"Wow… I guess I'm even worse at this whole interpersonal relation than I thought." She gave him a shy look before an idea pop. "Why don't I make it up to you? I'm going to look into a few apartments on the eastside of the city. I could use someone with a different point of view to help."

His mood brightened at the offer. "Really? You uh… wouldn't want your friends to help out?"

"Let's just say my friends have different perspective when it comes to their needs. And maybe after all this, we can spend the whole Winter Holiday in Camp Everfree, just like you wanted. So how about it?"

Timber smiled cheekily. "Well I might have to take a look at my busy schedule. But I think I can… wait…" He realized something. "Did you say eastside?"

"Yeah. Everton is on the outskirts of the city near the coast. Why?"

"Well it's funny because my apartment is on the eastside too. I work as a coastguard at the beach, remember?"

"Really?" Twilight beamed. "Huh… I guess that means we'll be seeing a lot more of each other."

He nodded. "Yeah… yeah. I think we will." An idea popped in mind. "As a matter of fact. How about you move in…"

"Hey guys. I'm… back?" Of all the time for Sunset to return, she had to pick now.

"Hey Sunset." Twilight responded hiding a blush under her hair. "I didn't see you there. And…" But her embarrassment was quickly dispersed when she noted something strange. "Wait… how are you get ahead of us? Didn't you go back the way we came?"

The redhead blinked turning back to the path she came from. "I... think so. I'm pretty sure I went back to the entrance. Was there a loop we didn't see?"

"We've been going a single path this whole time." They shared an eerie pause with one another. "M… maybe there was a turn we didn't notice?"

"Uh... yeah. Definitely. I was pretty absorbed with the can so I didn't really see where I was going." They tried to laugh it off as Sunset tossed the can back into the way she came.

But that laugh died off quickly and abruptly when they heard the can still rolling for a long while.

...

And it would later return to them from the opposite end of the tunnel hitting Timber by his foot.


	20. Yaztec Magic

**Chapter 20: Yaztec Magic**

**(Park)**

"Thanks again for helping out with the cider stall Pinkie. When Granny Smith told us that she had an immediate order to fill out. I didn't know she meant… immediately."

Pinkie waved it off, finishing her touch on the booth. "No problem silly. If I can help get these people to taste your absolutely delicious cider, then I'm more than happy to help. Especially when I get some free samples. I still can't believe you still had a ton of these after your family reunion."

"Yeah we had a ton of leftovers. And a few of the family chipped in too." Applejack explained putting another six crates down. "There's no way the whole family can drink them all, and they were just taking up space at the barn so we may as well give them out for cheap. We've also got another hundred orders of apple fritter flapjacks."

"Speaking of barns… how's Big Mac. Is he still… you know?"

"He's fine." The cowgirl reassured her pointing over to the booth where her brother stood with a cast around his left leg and holding onto a crutch. He looked happy enough though it would seem like he was demoted to manning the stand and doing checklists instead of the usual manual labor that he was so good at. "I told him that he didn't' need to come. The doc said that he should lay off the leg for another month or so. It's a good thing that apple season is over. Otherwise we'd be behind on our harvest. Still… thanks to all this business, we might even make enough to expand the field."

"That's great! That means more apples!"

"Yup. And from the looks of the size of this place, there's bound to be a whole lot of people who'll wanna eat our pies. Not to mention they got a band playing."

"And it's a good thing too." Pinkie agreed. "I mean we're already like 20 chapters into this story and we haven't had one musical number! I mean come on! Oh! An apple!"

"Easy Pinkie. There'll be plenty go around during the fair." Applejack stopped her. "Oh that reminds me. I need to get the manager to sign the delivery forms. Mind handling the rest of these?"

"Okie dokey lokie!" 

xxxxxxxxxx.

Applejack nodded and headed off to the large stage that was being prepped at the far off corner of the side walk. The whole park itself seemed to have been converted into one giant fairground. There were game stands, food stalls and all manners of entertainment being thrown in. And to think, by tomorrow, everything here will all be free for everyone who came by. Whoever was holding this event really spared no expense to help those poor folks who lost their homes. With all the clothes, towels, toys that were being donated here, they'll be able to restart their lives with little problems.

"Pardon me." She called out to a crowd of important looking people who were busy prepping the stage. "I'm looking for the manager around here. I need a couple of forms signed." If the crowd there had any attention span, they didn't bother giving her any time of the day. "Um… hello? Does anyone know where I can find the… manager?" Irritated she turned to the nearest person she could find. "Excuse me. Who here can sign for this delivery?"

The man shrugged and went away dealing with some stage props.

"Well aren't you a big bundle of help."

"Don't take it personally. They've been working all day. The whole thing was kind of a rush job so I'm not surprised that they're cranky."

"Flash?" The cowgirl jerked back. "Wh wh… what are you doing here?"

He shrugged giving the gal a smile. "Why, I'm going to be the entertainment for tomorrow evening. Me and the gang are going to perform right here at the Canterlot Park. My dad's hosting this whole event."

His dad?

"Your old man is funding this whole thing?"

"Yup. From the toys, food and everything right down to the big money he'll be giving to the construction company to rebuild the entire block." He gave a playful nod in return.

"Whoa… that… that's really kind of him. Rebuilding a whole area of the city using his own money? Now that's pretty generous."

"Well to be fair, he is doing it to get some voters for his election next year. And besides… if I can hire a company to fix up a friend's barn, my dad can probably do things even better." Was it arrogant to toot your wealth while you're doing charity? Applejack couldn't tell.

"Yeah." Her freckles turned a shade of red recalling her family reunion. "Thanks for that. If you hadn't come along I'd probably worked myself to the bones fixing the place up. I'll uh… try and make it up to you?"

"Don't sweat it." Again he waved it off. "I'm just glad I could help. Speaking of which, I'm guessing you're looking for the manager?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. I need to get this form signed before we can set up our stall. But folks here ain't exactly… warm with the welcome."

"Oh? You guys putting up all that cider?"

"You bet!" Her face gleamed with pride. "Apple cider, apple pie, apple fritter flapjacks, caramel apples. Red and green and everything in between."

"That sounds like a sale's pitch."

"That's cuz it is." She laughed. "I got that from Micro Chips. We'll be up all night at the kitchen filling out the order. The house will smell like pie for weeks."

"Sounds delicious."

Applejack turned to him with a sly look. "Well compared to your corn soup it should be peachy. But that isn't really saying much." It was his turn to shy away and blush.

"Hey that was my first attempt at cooking. Granted it wasn't the best. But it's the thought that counts. Right?"

"It doesn't really counts when your soup is literally to DIE for."

Flash grumbled under his breath. "Ok fine. So my culinary skills aren't exactly stellar. But in my defense, it came out pretty good for someone who cooked for the first time."

"I wouldn't call 'Mistakin'salt and sugar' to be good - and that's not even an exaggeration."

He slumped. "Ugh. Fine! But if you're so confident about your apples – you wouldn't mind if I stopped by for a bite now, would you?"

"Ha! Is that a challenge? If it is then you're more than welcome to try." She gracefully accepted his request. "By the time you taste one of my famous apple pies, your mouth will be watering for the next one."

"Now which one of us is exaggerating around here?"

Her smile widened. "Pfft. Why don't you stop by our stand tomorrow and have a taste? I'll bet anything that you'll be craving for a second serving after the first bite."

"Anything?"

Applejack's face turned a shade pink for her misuse of words. "Uh... y... yeah. A... anything."

Flash gave her a suspicious look, like a cop trying to break a crook in interrogation. He then smiled and clasped his hand on hers. "Alright Applejack. I will call and match your bet. Winner gets to order the loser, one wish. Law abiding, nothing humiliating and nothing too expensive of course."

"Hey Flash!" Micro Chips called out appearing from the stage. "I finally worked out the kinks on JVJ-24601! We're ready to start the performance!"

"Be right there." The boy answered back turning to the cowgirl who now stood stiffer than a scarecrow. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah… tomorrow." She responded, one hand waving. All thoughts of getting that signature vanished from her mind.

**(Everfree cave)**

They were stuck in some kind of loop trap.

That was the only explanation Sunset could give in their current situation. For some reason beyond their control or understanding they managed to be caught in some kind mysterious loop.

"Ugh… nothing. I'm getting no signal on my phone. How about you, Twilight?"

The nerd gal shook her head in response holding her phone up near the ceiling. "No bars here either. We must be in too deep. There's no way for us to contact the outside."

Sunset cursed quietly under her breath. "I don't get it. How did we get stuck in a loop spell? I don't even feel a tick of magic here."

"My magic tracker isn't getting a reading either. Either it's an illusion or something worse. But there's no mistaking it now. There's definitely magic here. We just need to figure out how it works." They turned around noting Timber return panting heavily as if he just ran a marathon.

"Well it's official." The green haired camper said after a deep breath. "I've ran passed you girls five times in a row now and no exits. Either there are five identical people like you in this cave doing the exact same thing as you're doing now, or we're really trapped in some kind of loop." He paused for a spell, smiling. "I guess we can say that we're trapped in a… loop hole?"

"Not really the time, Timber." Sunset patted the guy down and allowed him to rest for a bit. It was a worthy effort but Timber's attempt to beat the magic with brute strength just wasn't gonna cut it. Magic wasn't just something you can hold in your hand. You needed to feel it to understand it.

"Ok let's think for a minute." Twilight suggested, putting her brain on overdrive. "This is definitely magic. No doubt about it. But this kind of magic requires energy to sustain it. And the energy here is feint… almost… non-existent."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that every time one of us goes around the corner, the trap requires more power to be drawn. If we can get it overload, we might just break it."

"So we plough through?"

The nerd gal nodded. "It's the only way I can think of. But we have to make it big. I'll go this way and you take the other way around. Timber, you stay here and keep watch."

"You got it." And with that the two girls ran off on opposite ends of the loop. As expected, they met one another. It became a strange form of déjà vu and honestly they became quite dizzy after the first four encounters. By the end of it all, they stopped right back at Timber, panting heavily. "Anything?"

"Other than the fact that I'm slowly realizing that I am desperately out of shape?" Twilight said through pants. "No…"

"Well running around in a circle certainly wasn't a solution." Sunset whined. "Why don't we just blast our way through with our magic?"

"And risk a cave-in? Not a chance! A single blast from our magic can bring this whole place down on us."

"Well what else are we supposed to do? We can't exactly stay here until - your bag is glowing."

Timber raised a brow at her. "Uh… I don't think that's how that phrase works."

"No, not me. Twilight. Your bag is glowing." And to her truth, Twilight's bag was indeed glowing with an ominous aura. She quickly ruffled through it producing the dark gem bracelet that they took from Cinch. "You brought that thing with you?"

"I certainly wasn't going to leave something dangerous at home." Twilight argued lifting the bracelet to her face, hearing the gem hum with an odd sound. They almost sound like voices. "But… it never reacted like this before. I wonder what it means." She tapped the gem expecting some kind of reaction but instead found it cute and gaudy. Maybe Rarity had a point. Everything does look better in black. "Huh… maybe it's brok…"

…

"Twilight?" Sunset's eyes shot up when her friend suddenly vanished from view, her bag dropping right where she stood. "Twilight!?"

"Where'd she go!?" Timber reached out to where his girlfriend stood but found nothing but air. "What happened?! Twilight! Hey Twilight!"

"Twilight!" Sunset joined in the echo. But just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, she felt something stir within the walls of the cave. "Did you hear that?"

"You mean the creepy growling sound just now?" Timber shivered. "Yes. And I think I know what's making it." He pointed over to the wall where a big round eye suddenly appeared. It rolled around for a moment before finally turning over to them. The wall itself began to move forming into a giant golem Cyclops like it made out of clay. "That's normal, right?"

"Run!" She grabbed him by the arm and sprinted off in the opposite direction thinking they could outrun the golem only to find themselves back to where they left it. "Oh right. That's still happening."

xxxxxxxxxx

"… ken. BWAHH!" Twilight fell on her back having suddenly been teleported to an unknown location. "Ow… what happened?" She rubbed her aching head as she rose back up to find herself alone in the dark. "H… hello? Anyone out there?" She extended her arms outward hoping to find someone. "Sunset? Timber? Are you guys there?" Panic and fear swelled up on her chest hearing no one respond other than her own echoes. "Guys?"

There was nothing. No reply. The only thing she could see was the bracelet in her hand, now glowing even stronger. It vibrated violently before suddenly pulling itself in a certain direction like a magnet dragging her along.

"Whoa! Hey! What gives!?" Twilight protested, tightening her grip around the magical artifact using her flimsy arms to hold it back, but just barely. "Get back here!" She quickly wrapped it around her wrist wrestling control over it. "Gotcha now you…" Her voice choked when the something in the room illuminated. A small object ahead glittered with the same glow. Humming with power. "What the…?"

When the nerd gal got close enough she slowly realized that the glowing object was some kind of statue. It was a statue of a woman… or maybe a goddess with wings. She wasn't really sure. The thing stood atop a pedestal facing the other way. It stood out from the area like a sore thumb. The craftsmanship however was splendidly done with great attention to details. There were no blemishes or bumps. Every angle of that object was sanded leaving nothing but a smooth surface to the touch.

But just as Twilight laid one ghost of a finger on it, the statue suddenly shined illuminating the room in its bright blue glow. She shielded herself from the light until her eyes finally adjusted. But what she saw then… made her brain go ballistic.

Twilight found herself in an oddly shaped room that seemed to have been carved into the mountain in a circular form. The ceiling reached up high like it was making a cylinder. There were no exits. No paths or tunnels that led in or out of here.

But what caught her attention was the large rock formation at the center of the room itself.

She took a quick glance at the strange structure that seemed out of place. Two heavy slabs of monoliths made up the support which held up the third one with one side a tad bit shorter than the other. It stood on top of an elevated platform with the figurine facing it with its bland eyes. Hieroglyphs and runes decorated the slabs and the ground around it going all the way to the walls themselves.

"Whoa…" The girl couldn't resist the temptation and quickly pulled out the phone she had kept in her pocket and snapped a few pics here and there. "The girls are never gonna believe this." But then as she was snapping her pictures, the bracelet reacted again pulling her hand over to the statue. "Whoa! Hey! Stop it!" Twilight felt the magical energy within the gem slowly slip off into the figurine. Was it draining its magic or was the bracelet giving it away willingly?

Its eyes gleamed like two bright jewels before they fired beams onto the mouth of the doorway ripping space and time like plastic.

In seconds, Twilight saw the door open completely revealing a totally new scenery. It was as if she was looking out the window. And… was that a ziggurat? A temple maybe?

"What in the world?" Her curiosity reached its peaked as she stepped closer, trying to make sense of it all. It died out a second later when her feet stepped on something crunchy and fragile. She lifted her foot away, only to see a human skull glaring back at her. "YAAAAAAHHHHH!" The girl panicked at the sight and fumbled on her feet. She immediately reached for the only thing to hold her balance which just so happens to be the goddess statue.

With one good pull the statue ripped itself from its pedestal. The beam that projected from its eyes died, as well did the portal. And just like that the girl vanished from the room.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Twilight!" Panic swept over Sunset when she saw her friend magically reappear, crashing onto the floor. She hugged her breathing a sigh of relief. "What happened? Where did you go?"

"I… I don't know." She admitted but later looked at her hand noting that the statue she tore off was still there. "One moment I was here and then there… and then… here? I'm not entirely…"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but we're kind of in the middle of NOT-DYING!" Timber reminded pulling the girls away as the Cyclops golem charged at them with its raised fist.

"What is that!?"

Sunset forced an awkward laugh. "Yeah, you were gone for about 5 minutes and this thing showed up while you were away. Mind helping out?"

The two of them quickly ponied-up and fired beams from their hands. Normally the impact would've been enough to send the guardian flying. But much to their surprise it barely even flinched. It continued to approach, its one eye focused on them like a camera.

Twilight quickly regained her bearing and quickly lifted a pile of rocks to block the path. But the golem brushed them away with hardly an effort.

"This... isn't good."

"Hey guys!" Timber called out pointed at the back tunnel. There was sunlight pouring in that direction. Though feint, it was still visible. "I think I see our exit. Come on!" They gladly complied sprinting towards the entrance with all the strength they could muster. Within seconds they arrived at the entrance of the cave with sunshine greeting them. "W... we're out? We're out!"

"Yeah but not out of trouble!" Sunset reminded gesturing to the giant terror lumbering behind them. "We gotta get out of here!"

"Hold on!" Twilight spoke up conjuring another of her spells lifting a large boulder from the area and plugging the mouth of the cave. The three of them could hear the Cyclops roaring on the other side, slamming its fist over the stone but to no avail. It went on for a few more seconds before it finally gave in to the futility and lumbered back. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief afterward, all slumping to the ground.

It took the three about ten minutes to finally reach the safety of the parking lot. It was exhausting. But knowing that they were out of that loop was good enough.

"Ok. Next time we go on an expedition, we're adding magical defense traps on the list of preparations." Twilight nodded in agreement panting heavily. "So mind telling us what happened? Where did you go?"

"I… don't know." Twilight admitted, clearly shaken from that adventure. "But I have a theory." She showed them the figurine statue. "I believe this thing is the one causing all that magical mishap. Recognize it?"

She did. Though the object was vaguely smaller, the figurine shared the same design as the statue that was on display at the museum the other day. Part of Professor Sombra's collection.

"That's… Yaztec." Sunset gasped. "But how? I thought those guys only originated in the southern forests."

"Me too. But the room I was in had all of their designs. I have a suspicion that the rumors about them using magic isn't just myths anymore. There's definitely something here."

"We should probably tell everyone what happened." Sunset flipped her cellphone out immediately texting the club members of their exploits. "Don't' want them to get all worried over us."

Twilight nodded but grumbled back too. "Ugh… if only I still had my lab. I could spend the whole night analyzing this."

"Why don't you let me handle those?" Sunset suggested, taking the bracelet and the figurine off her hands. Strangely enough she could feel some magic pulsing inside of them. "I think I'll consult with an expert. I don't want you disappearing all over again."

"Same here." Timber agreed. "I don't know about you, but I think that was a good enough adventure for one day."

**(CHS)**

Rainbow Dash tore her eyes off her test that afternoon, her senses tingling at the back of her head. She looked out the window squinting softly at the clouds above. Her feet began to itch, telling her to run.

"Something wrong, Rainbow Dash?" Professor Doodle inquired from his desk looking as annoyed as ever. In front of him stood a row of students, all who were taking a makeup test.

"Sorry sir. It's just that… I just have this feeling that I just missed out on something big! Like... there's an adventure happening and I'm not a part of it."

Cranky didn't really seem to understand or care for that matter. "Well I don't know about your adventures, but your test is on your desk. So unless you want to have another retake this weekend, I suggest you finish it."

Rainbow complied. Yet she can't shake this feeling like someone had completed an awesome adventure just now.

**(Evening) (Sunset's house)**

Sunset fell on her bed that evening feeling somewhat exhausted. The expedition this morning wasn't exactly a long one. In truth it actually took a span of four hours or so but it felt a heck of a lot longer if you included the magic trap they had to go through. That alone was scary. Not to mention that guardian they fought just now.

She trembled at the thought of facing that monster again. As if the shadow wolf wasn't bad enough already. What was that anyway? Some kind of protector? A tomb raider stopper? It was clearly magical. There are no reference of that kind of thing in the internet other than some fantasy game: Ogres and Oubliettes. In all her years living here she never once encountered a monster of that kind. This world definitely had its way of surprising her.

Putting her pen down on the magic journal she closed the book and rested her head on her pillow. Sunset had just finished writing a message to Princess Twilight asking for some aid with this magical problem. As much as loved solving problems on her she had to admit that it was high time to call in the cavalry. While her own knowledge with magic were extensive thanks to her lessons with Princess Celestia, without her horn or access to Equestrian tools she had to rely on technology from this world. And sadly she wasn't completely proficient with them. At least not in Twilight's level.

Hopefully she'll get an answer soon.

Her eyes drooped down, feeling the bed take her to dreamvile. Today was both frightening and exhausting. But right before she could get her first snooze her phone rang with that annoying ringtone that she thought she changed. [i]Damn it Pinkie! I keep telling you to stop doing that![/i]

"WHAT!?"

The caller on the other line most likely flinched at her answer. "Umm… hi?"

Her eyes went up when she recognized the voice. "F… Flash? Is that you?"

"Uh… yeah. Is this a bad time? I can call later."

"No no no! I was just umm…" She looked around frantically for an excuse. "I was just having trouble with this uh... math problem Twilight gave me."

"Oh… ok then." He seemed to accept that reason. "Anyway, I was calling to see if you're still coming for the charity event tomorrow. My concert's in the evening."

"Definitely. Wouldn't want to miss it."

"Great!" The boy's mood was easy to discern. She could tell that he was smiling like a kid holding a gold coin in a candy store. "And you might wanna look at your mailbox. I sent you a little something as a gift."

A gift?

She quickly head down to her door where a thin stack of mails were piled on one another. She mostly receives ads and newspaper. But on top of all of those was a thin brown envelope that smelled of motor oil.

"A VIP tag?"

"Yup. My dad said I can give one to my friends. I thought you could use it. It'll get you anywhere in the park. Just flash it to any of the staff and they'll give you the First-Class treatment. You could even use it to go backstage if you want."

"Really? That is cool." She gave a smug look despite knowing that he can't see it.

"Anything for my favorite magic friend from the other world."

She laughed. "Heh… how long did it take you to make that one up?"

"About… two hours." The boy answered grinning. "Anyway, don't forget to catch my performance. I don't wanna spoil anything but I can guarantee that it'll blow your minds."

Her eyes rolled. "You say that on all your performances."

"And I haven't been proven wrong yet." He coughed softly into his hand as he went on. "So… how'd your latest adventure go?"

"Not good." Sunset replied exhaustingly. "At first it started out fine. We got to this cave that looked pretty amazing. But then we got trapped in this loop magic and Twilight vanished. Then we got attacked by this Cyclops thing…"

"Huh. That's funny. And here I thought you and Twilight could've spent this Friday peacefully studying."

"Well yeah but… we…" Her voice croaked when she realized that she was duped. "Oh… umm… I mean…"

Strangely enough Flash didn't seem all that offended. He simply chuckled on the other line. "Yeah I figured that you weren't being completely honest back at the toy store."

She smacked her head roughly feeling somewhat cheated. "H… how'd you know?"

"Come on Sunset. Give me some credit. We used to date for an entire semester. That's more than enough time for me to read your signs. I'd make a pretty bad boyfriend if I didn't learn a thing or two about you."

That was a good point. He certainly put more effort in that relationship than she did. Heck she didn't even know that he was super rich until recently. "Look Flash. I'm sorry I lied. But if I told you about what we were really doing, you'd…"

"I'd probably go after you guys at the drop of a hat?"

She blinked. Surprisingly enough she didn't have a better description. "Yeah… that."

"Well… I can't say that you're wrong there. I have been known to be spontaneous." Very spontaneous. "So… what's this about a loop trap?"

"It's… a long story."

"I'm not doing anything right now." He replied cockily. "Unless you're busy solving a difficult math problem." Her cheeks colored. When did he get so good at teasing? But thankfully, before she could answer, her journal suddenly began to vibrate. Twilight must've replied.

"Sorry Flash. I umm got another call waiting. Let's… talk again tomorrow." She didn't bother hearing a reply as she opened her journal expecting a positive reply.

Except that it wasn't


	21. A Concert to Pie For

**Chapter 21: A Concert to Pie For**

**(Saturday) (Morning) (CHS Courtyard)**

School was pretty much deserted on the weekend. Even more so now with the finals and Winter Holiday coming up. Only a few of the faculty would drop by just to make sure everything was running properly. The whole place was covered in a thin sheet of snow as the morning sun rose up from east.

Sunset paced back and forth at the front of the portal, darting between the mirror and her phone. The last message that Princess Twilight sent stated that she was to be here, at this exact moment. She wasn't sure why Twilight would asked her to meet her here when they could just as easily talk through their magic journal. It seemed far less convenient that way. Besides the future ruler of Equestria must have a ton of responsibilities meaning her time would be worth their weight in gold. If... time had any weight at all. But she wasn't gonna decline the offer. Twilight was pretty much THE expert when it came to magic. Some folks might even say that she's even better than Starswirl the Bearded in his prime. And that's saying something. And having the Princess of Friendship and Magic here on her side would definitely make all their problems smoother than silk. Besides, it would also be nice to have someone to talk to from home.

It was also the perfect timing. With Principal Celestia having banned magic from school, she didn't have to worry about getting in trouble.

Suddenly Sunset saw the mirror glimmer. She whipped her head around facing the portal as it opened up. A bright gleaming light shined as something came through.

"Princess Twilight?" She reached out to grab whoever it was that was coming. But the light show ended rather abruptly leaving her hanging like a leftover bread that no one wanted to finish. "Huh?"

Odd… she was sure that she saw somepony just now. Did the portal fail?

She moved closer but saw nothing but her own reflection staring back at her. The lock that she placed on the portal was still there and only she and Twilight had the keys to open it. The spell was a tad bit complex but it certainly did its job keeping people from stumbling into different worlds by accident. She tried calling out to the pony on the other side but heard no reply.

That was until her feet tapped on something metallic.

"What the?" She saw the object on the ground and quickly picked it up. "A music box?"

It was of Equestrian design. That much she could tell.

Did Twilight send this? Was it some kind of message? A secret code?

"Well aren't you early." A voice tore her attention away from the portal. "What are you doing here? Don't you know that today's a holiday?"

"Oh… Mr. Doodle. I'm uh…" She brushed up an excuse. "I'm just here to gather some of my notes for… studying."

"Uh huh." The man's eyes squinted. "You're not engaging in any kind of magical activities now, are you? I think Principal Celestia made it very clear that she doesn't want any of your magic near this school until she says otherwise."

"No sir. No magic here."

"Good. The last thing we need before the finals is another one of your hijinks." He gruffly added. "Now go home. Unless you want to take a mock exam."

"No sir." She quickly packed the music box in and bolted out of there.

**(Applejack's house)**

"Put yer'backs into it people! We got orders to fill!" Granny Smith yelled out loud as she busied herself in the kitchen multitasking on cooking, baking and stirring a giant pot over by the stove like an old wrinkly machine that can do everything. "Apple Bloom, we need more flour at the kitchen!"

"On it!"

"And don't forget the caramel syrup and praline. We're gonna need both if we're gonna feed the whole park tonight."

"Sure thing granny!"

"And don't forget to load the extra cider on the truck! Remember to stack them together. Don't want them g'tin cold."

"I'm doing my best granny. But there's only one of me to go around!" Apple Bloom complained

The whole house has been in chaos ever since this morning with the whole Apple Family rushing around like headless chickens. It was tradition that all their pastries arrive at the fair nice and warm for consumption. Nobody liked pies that were too cold or flabby apple fritter flapjacks.

"Applejack!" Granny turned to the middle child who was helping her with the baking. "What's the holdup on that next batch?"

The cowgirl wiped the sweat off her brow as she added the final touches for her 'special' pie. "Sorry Granny. The next one is coming right up. Just need to add a little more on this darling." That was a lie. The whole batch was already finished. She had been working on this particular one for some time now making sure every angle was perfect. It had the proper balance between crunchy and chewy, not too sweet but not too bland either. The absolutely perfect little pie for that special someone. She even had it put on a blue colored tin so that she would be able to distinguish it from the rest of the pile.

"Wow…" Apple Bloom gawked at the one, her drool threatening to spill out. "That looks mighty delicious. I don't suppose I can have a bite?"

"There'll be plenty of tasting later, Sugar Cube." She put the rest of the pies in the oven turning the knob just right. "We still got a whole mess of orders to fill. If we keep this up we might actually get it all done early."

"Well we can't load all of them at once." Granny opted. "Why don't you and Big Mac go on ahead and set up the stall and Applejack and me can ride the family bus." It certainly sounded a lot better than running around here.

"Alright. Be sure to save me one."

Applejack waved off to her sister watching as Big Mac load the last box in. Despite everyone's insistence that he took it easy, her brother couldn't just sit idly by while the rest of the family busied themselves with the business. Well he only needed one leg to drive the truck so she reckon she could give him a pass.

But just as Applejack decided to take a quick work break, she didn't notice her grandmother passing her a sly grin.

"That Flashie boy of yours is really in for a treat, ain't he?"

"Eeyup." She agreed readily, only to be aware of her words a moment later. "I mean uh… I don't know what you're saying." Her freckles grew a shade pinker than normal.

"Oh please. Don't give me that hootenanny hogwash. I know a gal in love when I see one." She gave a playful wink as she sat down by the living room tapping her lap gesturing to her granddaughter to join her. "I should know. Your ma made the same face when she was with your pa long ago. And just like you, she made this one very 'Special' dish that got him hooked-line-and-sinker."

Applejack blinked, turning to her granny with a surprised expression. She almost never talked about their parents- or at least she never initiated them. They were almost like a taboo subject around the house.

"Really?"

"Yup, she made a one of a kind pear-jam pie so delicious even I was tempted to take a bite off it." And that was saying something coming from the grandmaster of culinary arts. "They always say that a way to man's heart is through his stomach and your pa had one of the biggest appetites here in the family. Second to Big Mac of course. That boy can chew through a buffet like a sinkhole."

"Wow… I… didn't know that." The cowgirl somberly replied, partially interested in the subject. "You never really talk much about ma and pa before. What gives?"

"Because you got that same silly dopey look on your face whenever you think of that Flash kid." Again Applejack turned redder than her apples on a good harvest day. "I see so much of your ma in ya. She had that Pear-family charm that was absolutely irresistible. I uh… I guess seeing you being all love-struck jogged some old memories in this brain of mine." She wiped away a single tear-drop from her cheeks, hiding it behind a smile. "This Flashie fellow must be real special to you if you're going out of your way to make something like this."

Applejack curled down awkwardly in response. There was little point in hiding it now. She wasn't exactly good at hiding her feelings. Not that she had any reason to do so. "W… well it ain't a done deal just yet. I thought I'd do him a little favor for helping us out with the reunion. Not to mention he fixed the barn."

"So it's a one-sided love eh?" Granny Smith added, grinning knowingly as her granddaughter turned away to hide her burning face. "Well you always gotta start somewhere. But you won't have any problem with the folks. Seems like that Flash fellow of yours wormed his way through the hearts of every apple in the branch. Even more so when everyone saw you all laughing about like some idiot."

The cowgirl mentally slapped herself in realization. "Wait… is that the reason why the whole family was clamming all over us during the reunion?"

"Yup! You should've seen yourself that night. You had a smile so big that made everyone jealous. And the way you laugh was just so adorable that Goldie wanted to pinch your cheeks out.

Oh apple fudge. It's no wonder why everyone was so clingy that night. That explained so much, especially when Uncle Cobbler wanted him to play that stupid drinking game of theirs. It was an old Apple Family tradition. Something about proving that they're Apple-worthy or some other nonsense. It was banned a while back but a few of them still do it as a joke every now and then. Everyone must've drawn their own twisted conclusion when they saw them together. How could she have been so stupid?

But… she guessed she could say that they weren't wrong on that regard. In the end she did fall for the guy... somewhat.

Applejack couldn't deny that she didn't have some kind of infatuation with the boy. And honestly her love life was pretty high and dry at this point. You could even say that this was her first ever crush. Ugh that sounded really childish for some reason.

"Do… do you think I got a chance, gran-gran? You know? With Flash?" She took her hat off and held it by the seams nervously. "I… don't really know much about all this romance stuff except for what I see in them movies. He is a really sweet guy and all. But there… are some problems."

"Love's all about the bumps and bruises kiddo. There ain't no such thing as a straight road." The old lady added with a wise look. "We got some time before the fair and it's not every day I get to hear my little girl talk about love. So lay it on me. What's keeping ya from going all out?"

"Well… it's complicated."

"Oh hogwash. Don't you remember your ma and pa's love story? They had to go through a whole loop-de-loop before me or… pfft… Grand Pear got to them." She held her spat in with that name. "What's the matter? Is his folk not liking ya?"

"No. I haven't met his folks." Applejack sighed. "It's just that… he used to go out with one of my friends. And I don't know if it's right for me to just swoop in out of nowhere and mess up the whole thing."

Granny Smith bobbed her head. "Oooh… so it's that kind of complicated. But they aren't going out anymore?"

"No. At least… I don't think so. They broke up some time ago."

"Then I don't see what the problem is. As far as I can see it, he's open for business. Just like Goldie would say: If I don't see a ring on his finger then he's fair game!" Her granddaughter didn't seem to agree and gave her a mean look. "What? It was a good quote in my time. Besides, if they broke up with one another then it's their loss and your gain. If you really want this Flash fella then you can't afford to sit back and do nothing. You gotta fight. And with your fists, there ain't no contest."

"It ain't that easy gran-gran. And… I don't think I got any of that… Pear-family charm like ma."

"Oh don't you give me that nonsense now. You got more charm in your freckles than ten of our families put together. I should know. I was a charming gal myself." She patted her puffy gray hair in return.

"Granny…"

"I'm serious." The older woman pulled her granddaughter to a headlock rustling her hair. "Out of all the apples that sprouted from this family tree, you are definitely the prettiest of the bunch. All you need to work some of that cooking skill I taught ya and he'll eating from the palm of your hands before you know it." That's gross grandma. "And I'll admit. The kid sure is easy on the eyes."

"But what if I get cold feet?"

"Then you dip yourself in hot water!" She laughed. "Or if it's that bad maybe you can just say that you got new allergies."

Applejack couldn't help but snort. "Heh… you always know what to say, granny."

"I didn't slog through 60 winters without growing some wisdom, kiddo." They let out a laugh which died shortly when their noses picked something up. "You smell something burning around here?"

"The pies!"

**(Sunset's house)**

Ok… this is weird. Sunset knew Twilight and trusted her completely. When it comes to magic, she was the go-to-princess. But… if she was so good… why in the world would she send her a music box?

Was it some kind of magical device that could help her on her journey? Can it do magic like the artifacts of old? Did it play a tune would answer all of life's problems?

That would certainly come in handy around here.

But sadly… it did none of those things. She checked. It was just an ornamental music box. The box itself was made of wood encrusted with cheap metal peppered in Equestrian fake-gold powder to give it that gaudy look. The crank handle was at the bottom, placed out of view which spun the gears within. Well cut amethyst gemstones were embedded on three flat sides and a single mare twirled around the top podium whenever the box was winded.

In the end, all this thing does was play music.

At least… that's what she thought so. Perhaps Twilight gave it to her for comfort – or maybe she could pawn it off for some bits for financial assistance.

It does look nice to the keen eye. In fact that dancing ballerina mare looked very detailed. She even looked lifelike. She kind of reminds her of a friend…

"Starlight Glimmer?"

The model blinked. "Oh! Hey there Sunset."

"GAHH!" Sunset slipped back startled from the unexpected reply. She fell head first on the carpet before getting back up with an aching back. "Starlight Glimmer? Is that you?"

"The one and only." The figurine spoke back in a realistic manner. It even smiled and bowed. "Sorry about that. I wasn't sure this spell would work across separate worlds. But it actually did. Quite a surprise if I do say so myself."

"That makes two of us." She groaned. "H… how are you here?"

"I'm not, silly." Starlight laughed at her friend's attempt to analyze her. "I'm still in Equestria. I enchanted this music box with an upgraded version of Twilight's spell. There might be a few bugs here and there but what better way to test-run it than this? Sooo~~ anyway." She grinned. "Twilight got her hoofs full in Canterlot right now and asked me to help you regarding all magical related incidents. I don't want to toot my own horn here but I am pretty good at it."

"Wow… that's… pretty cool." Sunset admitted. "Must be nice being the student of a great teacher like Twilight."

"Oh! I'm not just the student anymore." The mare coughed into her hoof as she presented herself in a regal manner. "As of a few months ago. Yours truly, in light of Princess Twilight's ascension, has been promoted to caretaker of the Castle and Headmare of the School of Friendship!" She puffed her chest out proudly. "That's right baby! The student has now become the master. THE Headmaster."

"Wow! Double promotion. Congratulations!"

"Thanks. It was kind of a rush transfer and all. And all my new duties are really keeping me busy here so I can't come and visit quite as often."

No kidding. Being promoted out of the blue must've been a big change in her daily life. She can't even begin to imagine how she could redo everything at the drop of a hat.

"Hey don't sweat it. I completely understand." Sunset waved it off. "Just seeing you here is almost as good as having a Skipe Chat."

Starlight raised a brow. "A… what now?"

"A Skipe Chat. It's this chat app we have on our computers that… uh…" How does one describe technology to those who use magic? "It's kind of like… this. But with technology… on a screen… and no magic."

"O… k. That's umm... neat?" The pony brushed it off rather quickly. "So anyway. Twilight told me that you've been having some magic related problems. And as the resident expert in the subject and your friend, I am more than willing to help. What do you have for me?"

"Well… that's… kind of a long story."

…

…

…

"So that's the gist of it."

Starlight nodded intently as she eyed the objects on the table. The bracelet with the black gem was something she was familiar with. After all, most magical artifacts in Equestria were crystal-based. The Elements of Harmony were one such examples. However the statue was definitely new. It didn't fit with any kind of magical category she was used to.

"Hmm… very interesting."

"So… can you help?"

Starlight nodded after a quick analysis. "Well I know what the bracelet does. But the figurine you got there is something else. I can only tell you what I can see at a glance. I'll need more time to figure these out." Her hoof hovered over the bracelet. "Let's just go with what I know for now. For one thing, that bracelet with the black gemstone is a medium. It uses magical energy and converts it into a spell as long as you know the process and recipe. I… don't want to alarm you but it seems to be far more powerful than the one you're using right now."

Yeah, she figured that out when they fought Cinch the other night. If she went against her alone, she'd be a goner.

"As for the statue… well that's another thing. Where did you say you found it?"

"Twilight said she found it in some kind of shrine." Sunset replied tapping her phone to get the photos that Twilight took in the short time she was there. "I'm not really sure how she got there. I was stuck in a looping trap while being chased by a monster. It was really something."

"Sounds like basic tomb raiding defense for me." Starlight added earning a confused brow from her friend. "Oh come on. I've read enough books and seen enough ancient temples and ruins to know that you can't have treasures without some death trap or roadblock to impede your progress. It's just doesn't work that way. But a looping trap? Now that's creative. And that monster you fought? Loot guardian 101. Most treasures in Ogres and Oubliettes are like that. I mean… really now… no one in their right mind would leave important relics undefended. I'd expect lava or acid pools, shark traps or even arrow spring plates as bare minimum for all dungeon raiding experience."

"Well sorry if I don't exactly have firsthand experience in dungeon raiding." Sunset slumped over her table. "That Cyclops also seem seemed pretty scary though."

"Ooooh sounds exciting."

The redhead gave her a look. "It wasn't exciting when you're the one running for dear life."

"Oh please. You've handled worse. Remember how you and your friends got trapped in a mirror and I had to save you all?" Starlight waved it off calmly. "Anyway I'll take a closer look at this statue. Give me some time. I'll have my assistant do a little research on it. If we find anything I'll let you know."

"Thanks."

"Hey what are friends for if not help you solve strange magical artifa...?" The unicorn waved her hoof around before she paused unexpectedly like a screen freezing because of bad internet connection.

"Starlight?"

"Sorry. Could you wind up the music box just a tad bit? I think I found a glitch in my spell." Sunset did so, winding up the crank at the bottom of the box. "There we go. So anyway, how's it going with you? Anything exciting happening since I last visited?" She paused on that sentence. "Other than the one that you just told me just now. Ahehehe…"

"Well… it hasn't exactly been quiet here." That was perhaps an understatement of the year.

**(Park) (Evening)**

"A Cyclops!?" Rainbow Dash bellowed as she listened Twilight's story, intently gawking like a child who felt like she missed her own birthday. "A genuine Cyclops!?"

The nerd gal shrugged. "Well I wouldn't say genuine. It was made of stone. But it was kind of scary and none of our magic worked on it. Luckily it was slow and I was able to seal it within the cave. I don't think it'll be coming out of there any time soon. But the ruin I found was far more interesting."

Caves, ruins, magical artifacts, traps, mystery and a tomb guardian!? You might as well be writing the next installment of the Daring Do novel!

"Aww man! I can't believe I missed all the excitement! That whole place has the hallmark of an awesome adventure! There were traps, and monsters! You guys had all the fun while I had to stay with Professor Doodle and his boring makeup exams."

"You do know that education is important too, right?"

"Yeah yeah. But not as important as a super exciting adventure with your best friends! I'd give up any test for a chance to fight that monster!" Typical Rainbow Dash. "So when are you guys going on your next adventure? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Next week? Are you guys going now? I am fit and ready to fend off monsters like Count Vladcula in Fangshire spin-off, Lord of the Bats!"

"Not any time soon." Twilight answered much to RD's dismay. "Sunset will be handling all magical research from here on with Princess Twilight. Without my lab or any of my equipment, I can only browse the internet and look for reference online. Right now however we've decided to hold things off until after the finals."

"Aww… and here I was, thinking we could go back and fight that monster! I'm still pumped up from our last fight with Cinch. And before you muddle all my ego with your logic, we totally would've won if your Magic Trap didn't go haywire."

"Noted." Twilight rolled her eyes, which fell upon a familiar figure by the toy stall. "Is that… Rarity?"

The fashionista in question turned to her at the call of her name. "Oh! Hello there darlings. Did you have a fun Friday?"

"Ha! I wished." Rainbow Dash scoffed. "I was stuck taking a makeup test in school with Professor Snoozy Pants while Twilight and Sunset here went off to an action packed adventure in the Everfree Forest!"

"It's not as exciting as she makes it." Twilight brushed it off. "Speaking of which, how was your take with Hoity Toity? Did you get the gig?"

"Oh it went splendidly. But I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than that." She droned on and on explaining the details of their competition. "So now he wants us to provide him with three of our finest designs featuring magic themes. And I must say I'm at a stump. I came out here looking for inspiration but all I got are your run of the mill knights and dragons."

The nerd gal shrugged. "Why don't you try window shopping? Doesn't that usually give you inspiration?"

"Oh believe me, I've tried." Rarity waved her hand regally. "I went through the mall and the flea market. Normally perusing through sales and discount stores gets me in the mood of fabulous ideas. But right now I'm turning up nothing."

"Oh that's a bummer. If only we had magical adventures every day." Rainbow droned on, sarcasm dripping from her mouth. "HELLO? Have you seen what we've gone through these last few years? We fought off brainwashing Sirens, two magic she-demons bent on total domination, a twisted version of Mother Nature in Camp Everfree, and a few hundred other stuff that I can't even go through! Can't you use that for your inspiration?"

"It's not that simple Dashy Darling. Hoity Toity is one of the biggest stars in the business. I simply can't show him the usual trends. His expectations are atrociously high."

Twilight cringed. "That bad?"

"Oh you should've seen how he crushed through four designers with their remarkable designs. Why… his comments alone can make people like me cry rivers." Rarity shivered at the thought. "The sting he used on them. He even went as far as calling one of them… mundane. Oooooh. Gives me nightmares just thinking about it."

"So… what do you plan to do?" Twilight asked.

"Well… for now I'm waiting for inspiration to hit me. I was hoping that this charity event would jolt an idea in me, but again… I'm hitting a stump." She turned to the other two with a soft awkward smile. "Oh don't you worry now. I'm not about to outsource this problem to any of you. My pride as a fashion designer is at stake here. I will find my muse by the end of next week or you'll find me eating a bucket of ice cream at the Sweet Shoppe." Somehow that last bit feels a lot more believable.

"Uh… huh. Until you flop until the very last minute and go Rare on us." RD teased much to their confusion. "You know? Rare? Like Twilight has her panic attacks and you have your Rarity moment. _Oh darlings! I'm absolutely doomed. Doomed… DOOMED!_" She imitated her voice harshly and would've fallen on a couch too had there been one to lie on. "I'd give it another day or so before you start having one of those."

"Oh haha. Laugh it up Rainbow Dash. But you are looking at a determined fashionista with a purpose. This is the greatest challenge I have ever faced. I will find my inspiration and I will make a design so out of this world that Hoity will have no choice but to make me his one of his protégés! This… I swear."

Twilight chuckled back but paused when her phone vibrated with a text message. "Well you two have fun. I'm off to meet with Timber for the concert. I invited him so that we could hang out together."

Rainbow cooed. "Ooooh. Planning something big after the music?"

Rarity laughed in agreement. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do sweetie~."

She scoffed at their tease and dashed off into the crowd.

**(Stalls)**

Whoa… there are a lot more people here than Sunset expected. The park is usually sparse this time of day with the occasional older couples coming for a walk.

Now the whole place was practically brimming with people. Food stalls and stands were already erected, the stage was set and even the decorations were put on full display. Looks like Flash's old man really was going all out just for a few signatures.

After leaving her house and letting Starlight analyze the statue for a bit, she decided to spend the rest of the day resting. She and Twilight agreed that they should lay low on the magic adventures for a while. That Cyclops they encountered in the cave along with that loop trap was more than enough for the week and she wasn't looking forward to the next adventure.

Hmm?

Wait… this aroma… it smells… familiar.

"Apple Bloom?" Sunset noted the little member of the apple family standing by the stall stacking all the trays of culinary goods that were steaming hot.

"Oh! Hey there Sunset. You here for the fair?"

"Nothing else to do at home other than study." She smiled back sweetly. "And I knew I smelled your family's special pie. That's… a lot of them. Are… you handling the stall by yourself? Where's Applejack?"

"She's still at home finishing the last batch with granny. And I ain't alone. Big Mac's with me." She pointed over to her brother who waved back at the mention of his name. "But he ain't exactly speedy with that leg of his."

"Can't you ask some of the workers here to help?"

"I tried that. But there's a long line of stalls that need handling too. We're uh… kinda at the bottom of the list right now."

"Same here." Another voice added grabbing Sunset's attention.

"Ms. Cheerilee?" The redhead blinked. "You're running the stalls too?"

"Oh heavens no. I'm actually here to deliver some old books from the library. With the new ones arriving next semester I didn't want to waste them. And when I saw poor old Apple Bloom handling all these by herself, I just had to help. But I have to admit that we could use a few extra pair of hands around here."

Oh can they now?

Sunset eyed the workers at the far end, grinning as an idea came to mind. "Stay right here. Let me have a word with them."

Cheerilee and Big Mac glanced at one another puzzled as Sunset casually strolled to the group of muscle bound workers. They didn't seem all that interested that a kid spoke to them, but the moment she flashed out this card, she got a reaction out of them. After a little talk and a quick change of attitude, those men quickly got to their stall and helped unload everything from the truck. Within seconds, the Apple Family stall was furbished and ready.

Apple Bloom in particular was very impressed as Sunset returned with a smug grin. "Wow… how'd you get those fellas to work on us?"

She shrugged. "Let's just say that it's good to have friends in high places. If you guys need anything else, just give them a call and they'll help you right up."

**(Concert grounds)**

Twilight found Timber not long after she parted from Rainbow and Rarity. He was waiting for her at the center of the crowd near the stage coated for the near freezing temperature.

"Hey there sweet cheeks. How's my favorite nerd doing?"

"Pleasantly well despite our life threatening experience yesterday." She casually replied with a hint of amusement. "Thanks for waiting."

"Hey, anything for you. I didn't even know they were having a charity event. Today. I wanted to take you out to dinner yesterday but we were all kind of tuckered out after that little incident with the one-eyed monster."

"Tell me about it." She agreed on that notion wholeheartedly. "I think I've had my fill of magical adventures for now. I'm taking the weekend off."

"I'm down with that. And… there's also something I wanted to talk to you about too."

"Really? About what?" Twilight gave a questioning look.

"Nothing major. I just thought we'd take the next step in our relationship."

"Well, I'm fine with it. Besides, there are a few apartments I want to scope out tomorrow."

He bobbed his head shyly. "Yeah… about that. Maybe… you don't need to look far."

"Really? Do you know of any apartments on the eastside?"

"Absolutely. It's the perfect spot." The green haired boy smiled warmly as he described it like paradise. "It's got three bedrooms, a wide open kitchen, two bathrooms, and a killer view of the Everfree Woods, the rent is cheaper than what you'd find in the city, animals allowed and it's only a 15 minute ride to Everton."

Wow… that did sound perfect. Almost too perfect. She didn't see anything remotely close to that in Shining Armor's repertoire. Maybe it was a new apartment complex they built.

"That sounds… awesome! Where is it?"

"You should know it. You've been there a few times."

"I have?" She asked dumbly. "Where?"

"It's…" But he was rudely interjected when the stage lights lit up followed by flameless fireworks which erupted across the sky. The crowd erupted in a cheer as the surprise band moved into play. They were kind of showy and maybe even a little too flashy – and… is that a giant robot made out of a giant toaster with a smiley-faced bread sticking out on top?

"JVJ-24601?" Twilight recognized the unit and the creator who rode on top. For a moment she thought that the big guy was acting up again and was going on another one its software rampage. But she paused when she realized that the band was standing beside it with wide eyed smiles on their faces.

"WHAT'S UP CANTERLOT CITY!?" The lead singer shouted through the microphone, his hair flowing freely by the wind.

"Oh! Check it out! It's Flash!"

Timber's attention drew to the boy with the fancy getup and the blue hair. _'Flash? Flash!? FLASH!? That guy again?'_

His eye twitch in silent annoyance as his girlfriend cheered out the boy's name along with the rest of the audience.

A few seconds later the instruments played… and the singer's voice boomed in the speakers drowning all thoughts and arguments.

**(Park) (Later that evening)**

Flash stretched out his weary arms as he dropped from backstage feeling his throat sore. All the playing and singing really took a toll on him. That last solo-act of his also made the itch on his wounded hand even worse. Maybe he should take Applejack's offer of getting her family recipe.

Regardless, the cheers he could hear from the audience was enough to tell him that he got them all fired up. He has to admit, Micro Chips' robot really outdone itself with that lightshow and fog machine. He was just glad that it didn't go haywire like last time.

Slipping into his casual clothes the boy snuck out of there pass his bandmates and headed into the fair.

The park was packed to the brim that evening. You couldn't take two steps out of that place without stumbling onto someone. As much as he loved having fans swarm over him there are times that he just wants to stroll around without having to worry about someone taking a snapshot.

"Well well. Not a bad performance there, lover boy." A cool yet seductive voice garnered his attention as a hand grabbed over his shoulder with a force. He turned to the owner finding a familiar grin shooting back at him. "Do you do that kind of stunt in all your performances or just the really special ones?"

"Adagio!" The boy wasn't quite sure if he should be startled or happy to see her here. "You're here…?"

Her smile turned wicked as he brushed his coat with a slap of her hand. "Don't flatter yourself. I didn't come here for you. We didn't even know that you were performing until we saw you on stage. Not bad by the way." She threw in a wink while walking pass him tossing her hip around seductively. "That lightshow was pretty. I'm surprised you could pull off something like that without magic."

Flash shrugged. "Oh you know. This is once in a lifetime performance. I needed a little something for a crowd this big. And the next time they see my face, they'll be thinking of this. Besides, we all needed a little something to smile at after the fire."

Adagio gave him a surprising look and a slow clap. "Snooty, arrogant and humble at the same time. Bravo. You've grown up quite a bit since we last met."

"Really? I think I'm still the same height. I can't really tell."

"Don't be a turd and take the compliment." She threw him a punch which he dodged. "How's the arm?"

"What? This thing?" He showed his bandaged hand proudly. "It's just a scratch. Some folks dig a man with scars."

"You should consider yourself lucky. Any other instance she would've blown your arm off. Your willpower must be extraordinary."

"My… willpower?"

"It's a natural defense for magic." She answered, eyeing his bandages with a tilted eye. "Though you're not wrong. Scars do make you look… attractive in a physical sense." Did she just wink at him? It felt rather... flirty.

"Heh, this is nothing. You should've seen what I did to the other guy."

"Yes. You assaulted an old lady with a bat. How very gallant of you. I'm sure someone here would give you a medal for your heroic action."

Flash rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. "Hey you can ridicule me all you want. If I remember correctly, that old lady was about drain you dry. If it wasn't for me, you'd be a goner. So I just literally saved your life." He winked back much to her surprise. "I guess that means you owe me… three."

"Hey! I was the one who told you about the ambush. If anything, I saved myself by bringing you along."

"Still doesn't change the fact that I was the one who jumped in." He struck a heroic pose with his nose raised to the sky. "Admit it. My interference was perfect."

Adagio scoffed. "Need I remind you that your _'Interference'_ caused the very fire that destroyed the homes of all these people around you?" Oh… crud. He forgot about that. His expression turned sour and his smile faded. "Nice try, Lover Boy. But you still need a lot more manning up before you can reach my level. Good effort though. And that smile of yours really gave you a look of a man in control. Very well done. I'll give you a C- for effort."

"Ugh… fine." He groaned, his forced smile dropped. "What are you here for anyway? I thought you didn't want to hang out in the city after dark."

"We already beat the lady with the shadow monster." She shrugged, gesturing him to escort her through the crowd. "And this place is lit up brighter than Manehattan on Hearts and Hooves Day. Besides, I'm not gonna cower in my apartment all day out of paranoia when there's something interesting happening just next door. It'll take more than a shadow monster to keep me down."

Somehow he actually believes that. This Siren didn't look like the type who'd go down without a fight. Heck she actually reminds him a little bit of the old Sunset. Mean, cruel yet possessing the ability to love.

"Wow… that actually sounds pretty bold of you."

She smiled. "Are you flattering me, Lover Boy?"

"What? No! Not at all. It just sounds cool coming from you."

"Coming from someone who just made a crowd of thousands cheer?" She cooed him quietly as she cupped his chin in her hand. "That might actually mean something." Her face inched closer to his. It was so close, he could practically feel her breath on his skin. The boy's cheeks flushed thinking of what was coming next. "Still… I'll take that compliment." She then casually brushed his nose and pushed him away roughly before slipping into the crowd. "I'll see you around, Lover Boy."

By the time Flash looked up… she was gone.

"That girl is a box of mystery."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Oh! Oh! Adagio! Over here!" Sonata waved at her leader as she reappeared from the crowd wearing a dominant smile on her face.

"Where have you been?" Aria questioned taking a bite off a steaming slice of pie. "You were gone for a while there. Did you find something interesting?"

"Did you go to see the concert?"

The leader of the Sirens shrugged. "A little bit of both. How's your shopping spree?"

"Oh! Like you wouldn't believe!" The youngest of the three answered giddily. "All the food here is dirt cheap! They're practically giving most of it away! We got these pies, cakes, cookies, and pear-jam! We can eat like queens for weeks with these!"

"No more tuna or mystery jam for us."

Adagio chuckled at their smiles. While it was good to have ordinary food around here, it still didn't exactly sated their baser desire.

She gestured that it was time to leave. But not before looking back one more time at the blue haired boy who fumbled in the crowd.

**(Stalls)**

_Dear mom…_

_Wow… feels weird thinking that to myself. Kinda makes me feel all giddy inside._

_Umm… anyway. If you're there, I could really use some advice right now. Some love advice actually._

_But don't tell dad. Granny said he might flip if he heard about this._

_The truth is that… there's this… guy in school._

"What are you gawking at?"

"Gah! Granny!"

"Oh stop yer gawking and get back to working. We've already emptied half of our stock. The other half ain't gonna walk and eat themselves now! Git!"

"Yes granny." Applejack nodded and quickly headed off to the truck using her super strength to get the last batch of trays in the back.

She never thought her family business would actually boom like this. Ever since she and granny arrived and the stalls opened for everyone, their stocks of pies and flapjacks vanished almost instantly. There's no doubt that the family reserves will definitely be swollen after tonight.

And with all the money they made today, they might have more than enough to take that vacation they keep talking about, or expand the farm. Maybe even hire a few hands from the extended family to help out too. Seeing that the night would be ending soon, Applejack decided that it was time to bring out her secret weapon.

Within the racks of trays was a single pie she had marked with a blue colored pan.

This wasn't just some ordinary pie, mind you. This here was THE pie. The pie that will make all other apple pies feel insignificant in comparison. The very special pie that she took the extra time and effort to make. While an ordinary pie had two crusts, this one had three. The top one was crispy while the middle layer was crunchy, which then complimented the soft third bottom layer. There was also twice as much apple stuffed inside which she personally handpicked from the baskets. The pie itself was carefully cut into six even slices so no one bite would be bigger or smaller than the other. Whoever took a bite off this baby was gonna go on their knees and raise their hands to the sky praising to god for their worthless existence, which was kind of the point. To make a long story short: It was the pie she baked for a very special someone.

Seeing how the concert ended on a high note and the DJ keeping the crowd entertained she was sure that '_He_' would be on his way to their stall ready to lose the bet. This was it. Once she wins she'll…

...  
...

Oh god. Now that she thought about it, she didn't really know what to do after she wins. After he consumes the pie Applejack will practically have one wish on him. A special favor. A onetime ticket to his heart.

Can she do that? Can she just go straight for the favor and ask if he could be her boy… boyfriend? God just thinking about that word made her all giddy inside.

She wasn't ready for this. She was so focused on the pie that she didn't know what to do after. The girl needed something to say… something to go around. Maybe she could ask granny? No! She'll just say that she should take the Hail Mary approach and go for it. She was very direct with these kinds of situations.

Ugh… maybe she should think this through before she lets the pie go cold.

…

Eh? Wait a second. Where's the pie?

"Where's the pie!?" Applejack screamed as her hand reached into the box only to find it empty. She was certain that she put it here. She even put a few stacks on top just to make sure no one would get their crumby hands on it. "Oh no no no! Granny! Where's my special pie?"

"Your what now?" The elderly apple tilted her head at her.

"My special pie! The one I made for… a certain special someone." She whispered that last bit.

"You mean that one with the blue tray?" She nodded. "I think I saw Apple Bloom take it a few minutes ago."

Dang it!

Applejack hastily cut through the crowd. Thankfully she didn't have to go far as her sister was manning the stall. "Apple Bloom!"

"Bwah! It wasn't me!"

"Don't give the '_It wasn't me_' excuse." She gave out a stern big sister tone. "Where's my special pie?"

"Special pie?" The little girl gave it a thought recalling all that she ate. After a while her eyes shot up. "Oh! You mean the one with the triple crust? Yup. It was delicious."

"Sugar Cube! That wasn't for you!" Applejack panicked. "I made that especially for someone!"

"Well you never told me that. Besides, I was hungry and that one looked mighty delicious."

"Ah hot diggidy dang it. I can't believe you actually ate the whole darn thing. How am I supposed to make a new one in a few minutes!?"

"I never said I ate the whole thing." Apple Bloom added making her sister pause. "It was way too big for me to eat all by myself so I just took a slice and gave the rest to Big Mac."

"Big Mac!?" Applejack croaked. "That guy has a bigger appetite than Cousin Braeburn!" Without even waiting, the big apple sister bolted back to the stalls hoping that her brother hadn't gone through the pie. If anyone was a fast eater in the family, it'd be him.

And thankfully she didn't need to go far to find him either. With that bum leg of his, her brother was practically slower than Rainbow Dash's pet turtle. She found him by the truck having a lively conversation with… Ms. Cheerilee?

"Oh hello there Applejack." The purple haired teacher greeted along with her brother who gave a casual wave. "Did you need something?"

"Ms. Cheerilee? How? What are you doing here?"

"I was helping out with the stalls when Big Mac here invited me for a slice of this delicious pie." That's her pie!

"That's my special pie!" Applejack choked startling them. "I was saving it for someone. D… did you eat all of it?"

"Nope."

"It was far too big for us." Cheerilee answered innocently enough much to her relief. "So Big Mac and I just took a slice each. We gave it away to Pinkie Pie."

"PINKIE!?"

"That's right. She's right over there." And true to her words, Pinkie was there, stabbing a fork in her pie, about to take a bite.

"Pinkie!" Applejack ran in slow motion as the pinkette licked her lips, eyeing the slice she had on her fork. "S-T-O-P…!" And right before she could take one lick, Applejack tackled her to the ground like a bull on a clown.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Sorry Pinkie. I wanted to stop you, not tackle you to the ground." Applejack frantically looked around. "Where's my pie?"

"Your pie? You mean the one I was just about to eat?" Their answer came in the form of that pie casually landing in her hands. "Found it!"

"Give it!" Applejack snatched it before she could do anymore damage. "Only two pieces left. Honestly. I take my eye off you for two minutes and you're already half gone."

"Ooooh! Perfect. One for you and one for me!"

Applejack jolted up and quickly snatch the said pie away before Pinkie could dip her crummy little fingers on it. "Now hold your apples, Pinkie. This pie ain't for you."

"Aww… but it looks delicious." She sniffed. "Smells delicious too. Can I have just one bite?"

"No." Applejack placed the pie away on the table behind her making sure that it was out of people's sight. "There are other pies over by the stall."

"Yeah but none of them looks as tasty as that one." She took another whiff making her mouth water. "Hmmm… triple crust, extra apple filling and baked to perfection." What are you? Some kind of apple blood hound? No one can get that kind of accuracy with just one sniff. "How about just one teeny tiny bite?"

"Pinkie. No…"

"One lick?"

"No."

"Are you telling me you're gonna deny your best friend that culinary masterpiece which you obviously took time and effort to make?"

"Actually, Rarity is my best friend. And… yes."

"Oh come on! Who could be so special that you'd make a pie with so much love and attention to…" Pinkie's face froze as her brain clicked. Her eyes sharpened while a Cheshire grin showed itself on her face. "Oooooohhhhh~~ I get it now."

Applejack twitched. "Wh… what?"

The bubblegum gal slithered her way to AJ's side cooing softly. "Oh I get it. You made this very special pie for a very special someone, didn't you? Who is it!? Tell me! Tell me now!"

"It ain't your rootin-tootin business." She shoved her back. "Now you gotta go. He'll be here any second now."

"Ooooh grouchy." Pinkie teased. "It must be serious."

"You bet your bacon it is." Granny Smith added from the sideline chuckling like a lady hearing a juicy gossip. "This is probably Applejack's first ever crush so she must be super nervous."

"Granny!"

"Aha! I knew it!" Pinkie beamed. "Oh my goodness. Applejack! This is your first ever crush! Now you really have to tell me! Who is it!? I have to know!" Great now she was gonna be even more annoying.

"Ugh fine Pinkie." Applejack sighed in defeat. There really was no winning against Pinkie when she was in a giddy mood like this. Trying to tame her was like trying to stop an elephant stampede. "But you have double Pinkie Promise that you won't ever… EVER say anything to anyone, not even our friends…" She paused. "Especially our friends. Got it?" The bubbly girl nodded making a bunch of hand gestures which made absolutely no sense to anyone. "Uh… is that a yes or a no?"

"Why yes silly! Obviously." She laughed while repeating the gesture. "That's why I zip my mouth, then lock it with a key, then dug a hole, then bury the key, then built a house atop the hole where I buried the key, then move into the house on top of the hole!"

"Right… obviously." The cowgirl didn't seem all that keen but decided that it was good enough. "Anyway. You'll find out when he gets here. I don't want to make a scene especially now that my pie is already halfway gone. We need to keep it away from other folks by then. Can I count on you?"

"Yes sir, Applejack, sir!" She stood up at attention. "You have nothing to worry about. I'll defend this pie with my life! Me and Sunset once went through a snowball war last year protecting this soufflé from getting creamed. Heh. We breezed through it like a pair of snow cones. Protecting this pie will be easy as… pie."

"Hilarious." Applejack scoffed. "Just make sure you don't eat it either."

"Hey sis. What'cha doin with all the racket?" Another chewy voice interjected.

"Oh! Hey Limestone. Let me introduce you to my good friend Applejack. Applejack, meet my big sis, Limestone. Limestone – Applejack." Oh she was big alright, in the height and muscle kind of way. She looked like the kind of girl who could crush wood to sawdust with her bare hands. "Don't let her scary mug trick you. Deep down, Limestone is really a big ol'e softy."

Limestone glared at her. "Who are you calling a softy?"

"See? She's very insecure about herself."

"Is that how you see it?" Applejack chuckled to herself.

"Absolutely. Just take everything she says with a bucket of salt. It works well with lime."

Her sister didn't seem to agree. "If I wasn't eating this pie right now, I would've clobbered your ears."

"Ha! Oh Limestone. You and your silly jokes. You and your… pie?"

Pie?

Their eyes darted to Limestone… then the pie… then Limestone again.

"What?"

"THE PIE!" Without warning the two girls tackled the elder pie sister to the ground.

"Ow! Hey! What's the matter with you!? Goh!"

"Spit it out! Spit it out right now! Bad Limestone! That pie is not for you!" Pinkie hammered the back of her sister's head but that only served to make her swallow the contents in her mouth. "NOOOO! She's consumed the confection! It's over! It's all over!"

"Hang on now." Applejack tried to sound assuring as she held up the pan putting the small crumbs together praying that she could save something out of it. "I think I got this." But alas it was not meant to be. Her pie crumbled down like a stack of jenga that barely even made it to the third round. It fell flat on the pan plopping like a hardboiled egg leaving little to nothing behind… just like her heart.

Applejack's knees gave in as she fell in defeat, the pan slipping from her fingers as whatever was left faltered to the ground only to be lost forever.

Her pie. Her special pie which she poured all her heart in was gone, consumed and pilfered by others before it could even reach the hand of its recipient. All of her hard work and affection crushed.

"Applejack. I'm… I'm so sorry." Pinkie inched closer but was hesitant to put her hand over the sobbing girl. "Maybe I can make this up to you?"

"Oh… don't sweat it Pinkie." The cowgirl tried to put on a brave face but tears threatened to overflow from her eyes. "It's just a pie. I can make a hundred more another day." She forced out a smile reassuring her bubbly friend. "I'll just… give him one of the stuff we're giving out at the stalls. Just… let me clean up here."

"Let me help."

"Pinkie! Water!" Limestone gasped as her face turned blue. "Water!"

"Uh… ok. I'll come back right after I get Limestone something to drink. Don't finish without me!" She quickly grabbed her sister and hurried off leaving the cowgirl behind to finally sulk alone in silence. She quietly looked down at what was left of her pie and allowed those horrible feelings to surface. She stifled a sob while she hid her eyes under her hat. While she might pardon the language but right now she felt like horse dung.

Granny always said that there were just some things in life that weren't meant to be. She guessed that this here was one of them. Maybe this was the universe telling her that she and Flash weren't meant for one another. And who was she to fight against the universe?

"Applejack?" Oh dear universe. You really do like to rub salt on wounds, don't ya?

The cowgirl whipped her head around finding the boy in her heart appearing out of nowhere.

"F… Flash?"

"Your sister was looking for you at the stall. She needed help putting away the trays. Looks like your pastries really went away faster than I thought."

Applejack's scowl deepened. "We're out?"

Great… just great. As if things couldn't get worse. Now she didn't even have a regular pie to bring into the mix. God, she wished a black hole would open right beneath her right now so she'd be sucked away into oblivion.

"Like the orchard in a drought… or at least that's what your grandmother said." The boy shrugged turning to her with a small smile. "So is that my pie?"

She looked down on her pan. "It used to be. There was uh… a bunch of stuff." A whole lot of stuff to be exact. "Sorry."

"For what?" He asked. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"No. But…"

"Hey if it's about the bet, don't worry. You'll have plenty of chances to try. You don't have to take it that seriously."

"I know." She grumbled. "It's just… it was kind of special. You sounded like you were looking forward to it." That was a silly excuse.

Not surprising he laughed it off. "Applejack. I wasn't looking forward to the pie. Sure I would've wanted to try some. But I was looking forward to you. Not the pie."

"Me?"

"Of course!" He patted the dirt off her shoulder. "I'd rather spend time with you than eat a hundred of your delicious pies. I mean… who else can lift a car with one hand and wrangle a cow at the same time?" She stifled a laugh making the boy smile even wider. "See what I mean? You're way more interesting than food."

Applejack's cheeks burned.

Damn it! Now she's really wishing a black hole would open right under her feet. If only she could dive in there and scream.

"Thanks." She whispered, a hand rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. And here she thought she was the honest one around here. "I needed that."

"Any time."

"I still wish we had something to eat. Giving out all this food worked me an appetite."

He was about to agree on that when he spotted something. His eyes curled as he pointed at her hat. "Hey uh… you got a little something there."

The cowgirl's eyes widened when she removed her Stetson finding what looked like a whole slice of pie with a fork stuck to it.

"It… can't be."

But it is…

Her brain jolted in realization. That was the slice that Pinkie had. It must've somehow fell out of her hands and landed right on her hat when she tackled her to the ground. The fork pinned it to her hat and it sat there this whole time without her knowing.

"Is that…?"

There was no time to argue about luck or destiny. Applejack quickly put it on the pan and shoved it at Flash. "No time! Eat it now before something happens!"

Flash paused for only a moment before he agreed and slowly dug the fork in sideways, cutting it in half. He lifted one and chewed on it.

…

A moment passed as he tasted the delicious pastry. He paused, which made Applejack even more nervous.

Once he swallowed the piece, he gave it a thought before finally answering. "Hmm… I guess it is a teeny-tiny bit better than my corn soup." The two of them turned on one another, chuckling softly before it turned into a full blown laughter. It was a joke. A lame one at that. But it still had the desired effect. "I guess this means you win."

Her face froze up. "I did?"

"Yup." He took another bite and reveled in the taste. "This pie was definitely worth the wait. I'm definitely gonna look forward to the next one."

Applejack's breathing became erratic. She did it. She got her one wish. While it felt more like a pity victory she was definitely gonna take it. Oh god, her stomach felt weird. The good kind of weird. The kind of weird you only get from a great bowel movement.

This was it. She had authority. She had the power. But the question is... what was she going to use it for?

So many scenarios ran through her head. All of them leading to a happy ending. But alas... only one seemed like the right choice.

She blushed slightly, tapping one foot on the ground as she faced him. "Then… I guess you don't mind if I asked for my wish right now?"

He nodded with no hesitation. "Go right ahead. I'm a man of my word. Anything within the law of possibilities and… regular law."

"Maybe after this… you and I could… hang out more often?" The words felt like fire coming out of her mouth. Her face was practically steaming at this point. "I mean the Winter Holidays are coming and my family ain't doing much. We never really hung out until now so… maybe you'd wanna come on by for lunch at my place? I'd uh… really like to know you better."

She wasn't really sure what his expression meant at that moment. Either he was confused with her request or maybe he found it strange. But then he smiled, putting the pan down as he replied.

"I think I'd like that." His words was about as soothing as silk on one's skin. "I'd like to know more about you, Applejack."

Her face beamed as her heart hammered on her chest. Whatever insecurities or uncertainty the cowgirl had were wiped clean as her body began to glow. Her pony ears and tails began to show themselves without her knowledge. But she didn't care. She just couldn't contain this stupid smile she had on her face.

Her laugh echoed throughout the park drawing some happy and envious gazes from the crowd.

**(Park)**

Timber's expression was like that of a guy who just sucked a lemon. He walked out of that concert trying his best to look like he enjoyed it but he simply couldn't hide his annoyance any longer. Even less so when his girlfriend was singing praises of the good looking lead guitarist who sang on stage.

Twilight had been going on and on about the music, especially the giant robot that performed those mighty feats like shooting fireworks, working the light show and even popped a giant disco ball out of its toaster-torso. Timber would've been equally entertained too if it weren't for his girlfriend's gleaming eyes.

There were these sparks glittering, like someone who was just star-struck. But there was more to that. Timber learned how to read people and Twilight was someone who expressed a lot of things on her face. He didn't want to admit it but there was definitely a spark in there that he didn't want to see. Twilight might not even notice it but she was definitely having some feeling for the guy. And the way she looks at him, talks about him and know things about him that most people don't? There was just no way can he see them as… just friends.

No… this can't go on.

"Twilight." The boy spoke up interrupting her praises. "Can I… ask you something?"

"Of course. What is it?" She nodded nonchalantly.

"Do you… love me?"

…

She blinked at the question. "Love you? Well duh. We're dating aren't we? Why'd you ask?"

"It's just that… I get the feeling that we've been growing apart. I know that you have your magic thing and we live far apart. But I want to be sure that we're still together."

"Timber." Twilight reached out to him, soothing his worries. "We're fine. I promise. And we're together right now. Don't you think that counts for something?"

"Yeah… I guess so. But… I also want… more." He inched closer, putting both her hands in his, feeling the warmth of her palms. "I guess you could say that dating you has been the best time of my life. And some of the craziest times too. And I don't want to be away from that. I… really want to be with you, Twilight."

Her face blushed a bit in return. "Well to be fair, this is kind of my first romantic interpersonal relationship so I don't have much to reference on. But… I also feel the same. Our time together has been pretty awesome compared to some of my adventures. And… I don't really want to be away from it all."

That was heartwarming to hear.

So much so that Timber couldn't help but pull her into a deep hug. He held her close sharing his warmth with hers. A minute later he loosened up and turned to face her with a soft and caring smile. The emotion he held up inside burst open, which gave him the courage to speak.

"Move in with me…"

…

... eh?


	22. Trouble's Brewin

**Chapter 22: Trouble's a Brewin**

**(Sunday) (Sunset's house)**

Sunset curled her weary body in her bed that night feeling cozy. It was Sunday, meaning that she didn't need to get up early. Finals were starting tomorrow so she was going to spend today resting up and studying. No more fun times or magical adventures. This was going to be a normal day – or… as normal as a day in this world can get.

_Put on a smile it's a coinky dink world!_

_Laugh yourself awhile in a coinky-dink world!_

_Come on take a whirl… through a coinky dink world~~!_

No… no no no no. Darn it Pinkie.

How? How does she keep doing this? How in the world did she change her ringtone again? Sunset made sure that the security was unbreakable, she even put in a fingerprint lock!

She quickly muffled her ears with her pillow hoping that the caller would take the hint and go away. She waited for a few seconds. Then seconds turned into a minute, then a minute turned into many more minutes...

And alas, the damn ringtone got to her. She shot out of bed and reached for the phone with a sigh.

"Twilight?" She answered with a yawn looking at the time on the screen. "It's 3 o'clock in the morning. Can't this wait?"

"NO!" The girl on the other line answered back, her tone practically in panic mode. "This is a Code-Red emergency! DEFCON-1! I need your advice like, right now!"

Sunset groggily replied. "Ok ok. Calm down. No need to be so loud. What's the problem?" It had better be an emergency. It was way too early to be dealing with any kind of problem right now. The world can explode this very minute for all she cared.

"Hang on. I'll put you in on conference." A conference call? It must be big if she brought others into this. "Is everyone on?"

"Yes darling." Rarity yawned in reply. "I'm still here…"

"Same." Rainbow Dash followed sounding equally tired.

"Present…" Fluttershy too?

"Caramel soup…" Pinkie as well? Wow. She sounds pooped. "More… caramel soup."

"Yeah I'm here." Applejack finished. "What's the big fat emergency? This has better be good. I got to get the cows grazing in an hour."

Twilight breathed in. A pregnant pause formed around her throat. "Timber just asked me to move in with him!"

…

Say what now?

"WHAT!?" Rarity jolted up from her stupor shouting in a tone that pretty much rang everyone awake. "Timber? As in your sweet little Timber?"

"That's right! What should I tell him?"

"Well what did you tell him, darling?"

"I told him I need time to think about it."

"Wait hold up." Rainbow interrupted, all thoughts of sleeping tonight was washed away. "What did he ask?"

"Timber just asked Twilight to move in with him!"

"He what!?"

"What should I tell him!?"

"Well what did you tell him?"

"I TOLD HIM I NEEDED TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT!"

"Everybody, quiet!" Sunset called everyone to attention, her head splitting in a headache. "Ok Twilight. Slow down. When did this happen?"

"Yesterday! During the concert. We were all in the park when he asked me right out of the blue!"

"Aww… how romantic."

"Really Fluttershy?" RD's tone was a bit sour. "Sounds a bit creepy to me. I mean you go a few dates and then he asked you to move in with him?"

Applejack coughed. "Haven't they been dating for over a year now?"

"They have?" The sports gal paused. "Huh… has it really been that long?"

"Well on a personal level, I'd say it all comes down to his apartment." Rarity reminded to which some of them casually agreed. "Is it big enough to accommodate you two? Does it have a lovely view of the city?"

"Does it really matter?" Twilight shrugged on the other line.

"Of course darling! If he's the one asking you to move to his place, it must at least be accommodating for two. If someone were to ask me to move in with them it must at least meet up to my standard. Have you seen his place? What's it like? Where is it?"

"His apartment is ok… I guess. He lives on the eastside… so it's kind of close to the beach."

"Beachfront property?" Rarity cooed, now totally enthralled by the conversation. "Now we're talking. I say move in with him immediately. I can see nothing but positive outcomes with this. You'll be taking the next step in your relationship. Not to mention you won't have to worry about rent. And being close to the coast means you can go to the beach any time you want."

"Now hold on just a dang minute." Applejack protested. "The home might be important and all, but our dear old Twilight shouldn't be forced into bunking with another just because someone asked. I mean… the decision is yours to make. If you really like this guy and if you can see yourself with him then I'd say go for it. But you think that things are going too fast then you might wanna tell him to slow down. This is a big decision after all."

"I say she should go for it!" Pinkie tossed her two bits in siding with Rarity. "How awesome would it be to be living with someone that you love? It'll be like a party that never ends!"

"Me too." Fluttershy chimed in much to everyone's surprise. "It might be scary moving into a different environment. But like I tell all my animals when they move to the shelter: It'll be alright, because you're with friends now."

"But they've only been dating for a year." Rainbow Dash protested. "I'm all about going with the flow, but this? Isn't there like a whole process for this kind of thing?"

"I'm gonna have to go with Rainbow Dash on this one." Sunset finally chipped in throwing her lot with the protesters. "And as the leading authority of moving between two worlds, believe me… I know the feeling. You should wait – or at least keep your options open. I made a mistake of picking the first apartment that came to me." She shuddered. "It looked good at first but then I realized how much of a nightmare it was with all the faulty wirings. Took me months before I could move out of there."

Twilight counted the votes. "So that's 3 votes for yes and 3 votes for no. Oh come on! Grrr! Where's a tie-breaker when you need one? Who else can I call to cast another vote?"

"Twilight, there's no need to rush." Sunset interjected before the girl could go twilly-nanas. "You still got a semester to figure it out. Right now I'd worry more about the finals we have next week. Check out some of the apartments you had in your list. Clear your head and see your other options. Once you got all the details then you can make an informed decision."

"I… well… I guess you're right. I did tell him that I'd give him an answer by next week."

"Good. Now I'm going back to sleep. I got a full day of studying ahead and a microwaved breakfast in a few hours. So… good morning." And in unison the gang hung up on Twilight returning to their beauty sleep.

**(CHS) (Vice-Principal's office)**

Luna rubbed the temple between her eyes that morning feeling rather sore. Final's week was always the most troublesome week. While it did mean that their work days were ending, it also meant that they have to be extra vigilant for all their students. Cheaters and cheat groups often run rampant during this time of the semester. Students passing notes when the teachers aren't looking, having answers to questions printed on their water bottles or written on their arms. Anything that will give them an edge to get a better score.

"Luna?" The woman looked up when her name was called. "You're here? On a Sunday?"

"Matilda?" She recognized Cranky's wife. They used to be very close back in their school days. "What are you doing here?"

"Cranky came to get his coat at the teacher's lounge." The older lady explained as she entered the room. "We're heading off to our favorite restaurant for our semi-anniversary."

"Semi-anniversary?" She tilted her head questioningly. "Is that a thing?"

"Trust me honey. When you're married for as long as I have, you'll have put up any excuse just to get out of the house." She chuckled. "Besides, I think he's pretty stressed out for the final's week himself. Which I'm guessing is what you're doing all alone here?"

"Someone has to hold the fort." Luna reasoned, putting down her work for a minute. "And it's only for a week. Just making sure all the regular students aren't grouped too closely together. Afterward it'll be nothing but resting and relaxing at home with hot cup of coffee in my hand."

"And maybe a good movie to go with it." They shared a short laugh. "Speaking of coffee. Cranky and I saw your sister out in the café in Midtown earlier. She was with this very handsome gentleman with black wavy hair and the greatest jawline I have ever seen."

The Vice Principal sighed happily. "That would the new Principal of Crystal Prep Academy, Professor Sombra."

"Sombra!?" Matilda gasped. "As in our Sombra? Cute, handsome, smart hottie Sombra? The one that she broke up with?"

"The very same." Her eye twitched on the smart nickname.

"Oh my." Her reaction was quite natural. No one would ever really expect a pair that split a long time ago to suddenly get back together so quickly. "I knew he looked familiar. My my… he looked even more dashing than he was back in our college days. I can't believe they're back together again."

"You and me both."

"We should definitely have a get-together reunion." Matilda suggested waving her hand around cheesily. "It'll be great to have the old gang together again. You, Celestia, me, Cranky, Sombra and Sophie… oh…" Oh indeed. "Sorry. I guess not everyone."

No… definitely not everyone.

"It's quite alright. Sophie was our friend – and the best of us."

"She really was." Matilda agreed wholeheartedly. Her head cast downward while her eyes looked into the past. "You know, Sophie was actually the one who brought me and Cranky together. He never would've worked up the courage to propose to me if it wasn't for her. I was really happy for her when she got together with Sombra. She even asked me to be her Maid of Honor."

"I know, Matilda. I was there." And she remembered the wedding like it was just yesterday. She remembered the bride and the groom saying their vows and driving off to their honeymoon. It was a week long vacation if she recalled correctly. "It was a wonderful ceremony."

"It's a shame what happened to her. Those two deserve better." They really did. Out of everyone they knew, Sophie and Sombra truly deserved a happier ending. "And what of you, dear?"

Luna blinked. "What about me?"

"Oh please. Don't give me that." She brushed it off casually like she knew something no one else did. "You know, when I heard that Sombra and Celestia broke up I had my money thinking that you'd be the one to swoop in."

"Me?!" She choked, while her cheeks darkened. "Matilda. Now you're just being silly. We couldn't stand each other. He was such a big know-it-all."

"Well he was the smartest one out of all of us." The older lady grinned. "And they do say that people who argue a lot are simply showing affection the other way around."

Luna cocked a brow at now. "Now you're just being ridiculous."

"Am I?" The donkey gal grinned. "Remember back in college? The three of us were lab partners for that uh… potato beam or whatyamacallit?"

"The Spud-Ray!" Luna recalled as if a part of her brain suddenly woke up. "That's right. I remember now. It was our first year in college together. We had a free science project and I wanted to make see how many potatoes it would take to light up enough lamps to bake another potato." She puckered her lips up in thought. "If I remember correctly, that project did not go so well."

"It blew up on all our faces! Quite literally too." Matilda reminded which sparked some old memories back. "The whole classroom was covered in that gunk because you thought that a hot potato would generate more power."

"Science wasn't exactly my best subject." She defended. And how was she to know that it didn't matter what temperature the potato was in? "And there some good that came out of it. The whole class got to have mashed potato for lunch."

"And Sombra was quite the looker even back then. I remember how he protested on your project so many times."

"That was a long time ago, Matila. And honestly I was into the big muscled men out on the field. Not some egghead." Thankfully a knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

"Hey honey. I got my coat. What you all doing here?" Cranky poked his head with a rare sweet smile on his face.

"Just reminiscing on old times dear." Matilda waved it off before joining him. "It's good to see you again Luna. Tell your sister that we should catch up sometimes."

Maybe some other time.

… maybe never.

**(Twilight's house)**

_"Move in with me…"_

The words echoed in her head like it was going on repeat.

Why in the world would Timber ask her to move in now of all time? She wished she knew. Of course she also knew that he loved her and she loved him. But moving in together, so quickly? It feels like things were just going a tad bit too fast.

And it's not like she had any reference to go on. This was her first real relationship. She never even thought of ever getting a boyfriend until Timber showed up. But moving in with him just feels… not right. At least not right now.

"Twilight!" She nearly trip on her own toes when her brother's voice boomed from behind. "I think that's enough decoration for one side."

The girl laughed awkwardly when she noted that she had pinned a few too many ribbons on the wall. They were busy decorating for the Winter Holidays making the house look for festive for the season. Apparently her mom and dad invited some old friends from the big city to celebrate the holiday in the house. It was going to be pretty big.

"You alright?" Her brother asked. "You look out of it."

"I'm fine." She waved it off. "Just… deep in thought. You know those formulas aren't just gonna solve themselves."

"O… k? But weren't you supposed to go look into a few apartments today?"

That was the plan. She was even looking forward to some of them too, like that penthouse she could never afford in a million years. But ever since Timber offered a place in his apartment she started to have cold feet.

"I was… but… I changed my mind." She lied. "I thought I'd stay home and study for the finals."

"Oh please. Like you haven't aced everything CHS could throw at you." He laughed lowly to himself as he hung the bells over the door. Her brother was probably being truthful. The lessons CHS provided was pretty much child's play to her. Heck she could probably get an above-average grade on the exams with both eyes closed.

But then a thought came to mind. "Hey… Shining Armor. Can I ask you something?"

"Always." He answered with a smile, not even taking his eyes off his task. "But if this is about the Sibling Supreme Crown – remember I won that round fair and square. That means I still get to keep it until New Year."

"Oh please. You got lucky because mom gave you an easy question on our family trivia."

"That still counts as a victory." He smugly retorted as he produced the said crown from his jacket and placing it on his head taunting her with its very appearance. Despite its worn out look, that little piece of cardboard was worth its weight in gold for both of them. "I think I'll wear this as part of my Winter Holiday family photo. Don't you think I look dashing with it?" Twilight rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't get too comfy with that crown. Because it'll be mine when I beat you next year after the holidays." She challenged back. "But no… that's not what I meant. What I wanted to is ask about… you and Cadance." Shining Armor turned his head, surprised.

"Oh? What about?"

"When you two first moved in together. What was it like?"

It was an unusual question so it was expected for him to show a curious expression. "Well it was pretty scary at first. I mean it was a pretty big step in our relationship and there were a lot of changes to be made. When Cadance and I started dating two years ago, none of us knew where it would take us. I mean she's a dean and I'm just an assistant. But eventually I worked up the courage to ask her to move in with me. She was conflicted at first but then I showed her the pros and cons. And afterward she said yes. Now we live together, hang out together, share a toothbrush."

"Ah lalalalala! Too much information!" Twilight interjected plugging her ears before she hears something she would never forget. "I was just asking for the feeling."

He laughed and shrugged back apologetically. "Well like I said: It was scary at first. And we had a lot of bumps along the way. We fight, argue and even thought of splitting one time."

"Really?" Her eyes shot up. "But you guys look so happy together."

"Of course we do. But relationships aren't just music and roses Twilly. They take a lot of work, just like every other kind of bond. Even Cadance and I fight every now and then. But after a while we were able to settle in and work together a system and we're stronger than ever."

"What kind of system?"

"Oh now that's my secret, sis. And no two relationships are ever alike. You'll have to find your own system if you want to build a strong connection with someone."

"Oh come on! Can't you at least give me a hint?"

His brow worked up. "Well… I suppose I can give you one tip: Communication is key. You can't exactly get to know each other if you can't even communicate with one another. Try and listen and give your own opinions. Find a common ground and work your way from there."

Wow… that's… actually kind of a good advice. A rather surprising notion coming from him.

"Huh… common ground. I guess that could work."

"Why do you ask?" He turned the question around.

"No reason. I was just um… wanted to know what kind of experience is waiting for me. That's all." That was a lie and her face showed it and she could tell that her brother knew it too. But oddly enough he decided not to press it further. "Huh... common ground."

**(Monday) (CHS)**

Rainbow Dash found herself groaning loudly as she slammed her head at her locker door with an expression that felt similar to that of a girl whose whole world was just about to end. She mumbled lowly to her locker like someone trying to shout at a tree stump to blow all her anger away.

"What's the matter?" Her locker neighbor, Sunset, asked. Though the question was more rhetorical since she knew what was bothering her friend. "Let me guess. The test was hard?"

"More like impossible." RD smacked her head on her locker again mumbling profusely like she was trying to chant some mantra. "I mixed up my study session. I thought I'd have physics today. But instead I had algebra! I totally flopped on the first day of finals!"

"Ouch. That bad huh?" The redhead knew the feeling well. "Must be pretty rough. But don't fret. I'm sure you'll do better next time. You can still make up on it."

"That's easy for you to say. I'm not a genius like you or Twilight. Taking these exams is like... Fluttershy and sports." A rather specific example but it put the point across. "It takes twice as much effort for someone like me to get around numbers and equations." She groaned. "It's not my fault my brain isn't as well grounded as you guys."

"I don't think that's how things work. But if you want, maybe you can ask Professor Doodle for a makeup test instead. I'm sure he'll understand that it was just a mistake on your part."

"You think he'll buy it?" Rainbow blinked.

"It can't hurt to try."

The multi-haired-colored gal bobbed her head. "Ugh… I can't wait for this to end. Four days of never ending tests and studies? I mean, who does that? How do they expect students to go on that long without breaking apart?"

"Well if you're having trouble, maybe you can drop by and study at my place tonight. I'll even give you tips and pointers."

"Thanks… but right now I need something else other than studies. I can't get myself motivated if I don't have an end goal. I mean… if I had something to look forward to, then maybe I can get myself pumped!"

Sunset can understand that. Everyone had their own goals when it came to education. Some want to have the best grades to show off to their peers like Twilight. Some do it to escape Summer School and remedial classes. For Rainbow… it was something else.

But then she smiled when her eyes cast over to the school board where Vice-Principal Luna was busy posting a new flyer. "Well if you need motivation… I think we found it."

Rainbow Dash approached and read it out loud. "The CHS Winter Holiday/End of the Year Party?"

"That's right." Luna nodded proudly. "Seeing as the school will be closing for a few weeks, I thought that it'd be a great idea to host a grand celebration for the end of the semester. There'll be food and dancing for everyone. What better way to kick off the end of the semester than with a grand celebration? All within range of the law of course." She added that last bit strangely quick like she was trying to avoid a lawsuit. "Think of it as a way for us teachers to give back to the students."

Yeah right. More like another grand opportunity to pinch food and drinks from the party. A few students caught her pocketing bottles of cider and even a whole ham in her bag. It was pretty much a known secret. But she wasn't gonna mention that.

"A party!?" Rainbow's expression turned a complete 180. "Awesome! Finally! Some proper motivation!" She ignored Sunset rolling her eyes at her. "If there's a party here in school that means there'll be music, and music means a band. I've been itching to shred my guitar for a while now. I'm guessing you want the Sonic Rainbooms to perform?"

The flowing haired woman shook her head in reply. "Thank you for the offer Rainbow Dash but another band has been booked for the party."

"What? But why? We're the biggest band in the whole school! We got spotted on movies and even have our own musical being played in the mall! How are we not playing for the biggest party of the school?" Rainbow Dash protested. "That's so unfair! I demand to speak with the person in charge!"

Luna coughed. "Yes?"

"Uh… oh! Ahehehe…" Well that was an embarrassing snide but she quickly recovered. "Anyway, I can't let this stand. As the leading performer of the Rainbooms, I'm putting my foot down. Who's the sucker who'll be playing for the party?"

"That would be us." Another voice interjected making them turn to the source. A blue haired boy winked at them folding his arms together by the locker. "The Flash Drive..."

"Flash!?" Rainbow gawked. "You're the one they asked to play for the Winter Holiday party? But… why? The Rainbooms have been the biggest band here in CHS! We got gigs all over the city and a music video!"

"True. But as of our performance at the park…" He pulled up his phone, playing a video of their performance for them to see. "The Flash Drive has are now known worldwide. Over 3 million views in just 48 hours. Boom! Take that."

"Oh pffft. Big whoop." Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Our band would've made twice that number if we had a chance to perform on the big stage. Hits on a video doesn't prove which of us is better."

"Sounds like somebody's jealous." He teased with a casual smile. "Sorry to say, but it looks like the gig is ours. You'll have to take it up with the folks on top."

"I bet I can outplay you at your own game."

Flash's eyes gleamed. "That sounds like a challenge Rainbow Dash. You really think you can outshred this talent?" He pulled out his guitar from his locker, pointing the tail end at his opponent, to which she accepted.

"I know I can outshred you." She countered back raising her hand up to grab her own guitar that Pinkie handed from the corner of the room. How she got there - and how she disapeared a second later, no one will ever know. "Let's have a shred-off. Winner takes all, unless you're afraid."

"Sounds good to me." He agreed. "But… why don't we make it a little more… interesting?" Flash grinned as an idea came to mind. "Loser gets to play backup guitar at the party."

"Ha! You are so on!" They shook hands on it almost immediately. "Alright then. Ready? Shr—"

"AHEM!" Luna coughed out loud quickly silencing the two. "While I do want this situation resolved quickly. You two do remember that we're still in the middle of the exam week? You two can settle this matter afterschool."

"Fine by me…"

"Me too…" The two rockers grinned equally confident of their victory.

**(Library)**

Ugh… thank god for some peace and quiet. Twilight wasn't exactly sure what happened but the students at the hallway seemed all riled for some reason. Probably something silly. She only had about 40 minutes of lunch period before her next test so she thought she'd come by and do a little research.

Thankfully the library seemed pretty empty this time of day so there was no risk of anyone interfering or interrupting her…

"Rarity?" She spotted the fashionista on one of the study tables buried under a ton of books. The bored look on her face quickly brightened when she heard her name called out. "I didn't expect you to be here. Studying for the next exam?"

"No. I'm actually doing a bit of research." She flashed the cover of her book which depicted a cartoony dragon facing off a giant robot.

"Research? With comics?" Twilight questioned. "You have a subject on comics?"

"It's for my designs for Hoity Toity." She explained with a soft groan. "I've been looking for something to inspire me. Normally I'd have something hit me by now. But it's already been three days and I've gotten nothing."

"Wow… must be hard to meet his standard."

"It is incredibly high. But that's why he's the best of the best. Those that joined are already peering under pressure. Vignette just texted me saying that six of them already quit from peer pressure – and their designs were magnificent. You should've seen their princess gowns, the knight's suit and renaissance outfits. They were simply divine." And that was a big praise coming from her. "I simply can't go with my usual one night stands. I need something different. Something big and bold. Something no one has ever seen before." She looked at her book and sighed at its contents. "And somehow I think dragons and robots won't even begin to fit in his category. They're just so common, so... ordinary. I require a new muse to jolt my inspiration. Something to elevate my imagination to greater heights!"

"Is that why you're studying history and myths?" Twilight pointed at the number of ancient history tomes on the table.

"I'm desperate darling. I've been combing through other culture to broaden my horizon. Yakyakistan Stomping Dance, Saddle Arabia's Desert Bandits, even the ye-old Canterlot."

"And…?"

"And nothing! I got nothing!" The fashionista went full bananas on her. Flaring with her hand and drama. "I have tried everything! Mermaids, elves, trolls and unicorns! But they all look… and feel… mediocre! I want something new! Fresh! Something that'll no one has ever seen! A Loch Ness Monster of my own creation. But… I have nothing. The muse has left me!"

Well there goes the drama. Nothing surprising there. But Twilight wasn't one to leave a friend hanging.

"Well maybe you need to look at something… older." Rarity gave her a questioning brow. "Like the Yaztec. Here." She pulled out her phone showing the ruins she discovered in the mountains. "I snapped these during my exploration in the cave systems. They're ancient runes."

"Oh my. Those look beautiful." The drama queen gasped, as she browsed through the pictures. "Oh they're lovely. And this statue in particular is gorgeous. Hmmm… it's mythical, fantasy. A little out there but… this might just give me something to go on! I… don't suppose you'll mind sending me these pictures for some inspiration juice?"

"Of course. Anything for a friend." She gladly sent them joining her on the table for a little studying.

"Thank you darling. Hopefully this'll get me out of my rut." Rarity giggled. "Speaking of friends. Have you decided on what to do with your… new roommate?" Twilight hushed her. "I wasn't shouting dear."

"I know. But I still don't want anyone to find out. This is a big deal for me. And… no. I still haven't decided. It's been on my mind since yesterday and I can't seem to think rationally at all! I think all that stress might've even affected my final exam!"

"I don't see why you're so upset." Of course she wouldn't. "If I was in your shoes I would've said yes the moment he asked. You two are going to have to move in together at some point, don't you agree?"

"Well yeah. But I didn't expect it to be this soon. I mean… am I crazy?"

"Crazy in love or just plain crazy?"

"Who cares!?" She freaked before dropping her head on the table. "Ugh… why did he have to do this to me? And right in the middle of finals week!"

"Darling, please. Calm down." Rarity insisted, giving her a breathing gesture. "Surely you must've done some consideration about this."

"Oh I have. I even got a pad counting the pros and cons of this moving!" She pulled out said pad which listed the goods and bads. "And guess what. They're tied too! I tried thinking of a tie breaker but there isn't one! My brother says that I should talk things out with him first but he already made his decision. Timber wants me to move in with him."

"Well you already know my opinion dear. But alas, the final decision is yours to make. Whether you move in with him or not, I'm sure he will respect it."

"So you're saying you got no advice for me."

The fashionista paused, looked up and nodded. "I suppose so."

Twilight slammed her head on the table.

**(Courtyard) (After school)**

"You sure you wanna do this Rainbow Dash?" Sunset asked her friend who continued to do her stretching routine like she was about to do a marathon.

"Course I do! I'm the best shredder there is!"

"But this Flash we're talking about here." She reasoned. "I know that you're a great player, but I've seen him play too. Not to brag on him or anything, but between the two of you, I'm gonna have to put my money on his side."

"Oh relax Sunshim. I got this." Rainbow Dash puffed her cheeks. "You talk like you know his skills."

"Who do you think taught me how to play?" She grinned cheesily which made the multi-color haired gal blush a bit. "Just remember. No magic and no Ponying-Up. Principal Celestia was clear on that."

"Pfft. Don't worry. This'll be a cakewalk. Besides, I got reason and motive. I'm fighting to retain our crown!" Rainbow Dash reasoned back, huffing her chest.

"We have a crown?"

"Duh! Our crown of being the most awesomest band in all of CHS. We have to defend it." Of course she'd makeup a crown for herself. "You wouldn't let some random band come out of nowhere and destroy all our hard work."

"I don't think that is what's happening right now." Sunset rolled her eyes which fell upon the crowd. Strangely enough there were a lot of students here. Exams were done for the day so she expected the lot of them to head on home already. But strangely enough they were all lingering. Like they knew that a show was going to happen. "Why is everyone still here? Do they know about the shred-off between you and Flash?"

"Of course they do. Who do you think told them?" Of course you would. "It wouldn't be much of a victory if it didn't have an audience." For some reason that didn't surprise Sunset as much as it was supposed to – and she wasn't sure whether to be disappointed in Rainbow or herself for that matter.

But then the crowd went quiet when the door to the school opened revealing her ex-boyfriend wielding his guitar like a man with a purpose. One side of the audience split apart as he strutted in like Moses and the Red Sea. He had a confident look on his face which… made him look kinda of dashing if she was being honest. It actually made her heart beat a tone faster than normal. As he approach she slowly moved aside giving the ground to the two rockers.

"So you're finally here." Rainbow Dash spoke up first like a comical villain waiting for the hero to arrive at the tower to face the final boss. "I was beginning to think you weren't gonna show."

Flash curled a small grin on his lips. "I thought you might need time to prepare."

"I was ready a long time ago." She countered. "What's the matter? Got cold feet?"

"I never get cold feet. I actually got held up with my science test. An easy B+ if I do say so myself."

"Wait… seriously!?" Rainbow Dash blinked, breaking out of character. "You got a B+? How? I spent all night studying for that test and Ms. Cheerilee said that I got a C-."

"It's all in the formula." He answered with a tone that made him borderline confident and arrogant. "But enough about tests. Are you ready to play backup for the Flash Drive?"

"You mean you're going to be playing for the Rainbooms."

"Oh... cute. Just remember that this'll be a band thing. So everyone in the group will have to wear matching jackets." Flash chuckled. "Hope you like leather."

"In your dreams, Flash Sentry."

"Oh Rainbow Dash." He chuckled. "You'll find that most of my dreams… come true." Oh wow. That is a cool counter taunt. Sunset nodded impressively ignoring her friend's glare. Even the crowd seemed to agree with her on this.

They immediately got into their battle stances, each ready to shred it off. That was the sign telling Sunset that she should back away before

Rainbow Dash played first doing a simple chime on her cords earning a few respectful nods from the audience. It was a slow but effective start. A dip in the water, if you will

"Not bad. Not bad at all." Flash gave an approving gesture. "But even an amateur can do that." He then strutted his guitar, going out hard and strong off from the starting line which stirred the audience quite a bit. "Try beating that."

"Oh please. That's easy. I thought you could do with a head start." She then returned, doing a long winded solo act which the crowd cheered at.

"Now we're getting somewhere." Cracking his knuckles, the rocker boy began strutting too and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that he did it better. No doubt the customization he put in his guitar played a part on his performance.

This whole scenario went on for another two minutes or so which the crowd grew unexpectedly more riled. Even Sunset could feel the tunes strumming her body. Put those two together and you'll have yourself a party. Despite the battle she wasn't surprised that Rainbow Dash was being pushed back. She could tell because her friend was beginning to sweat buckets after the last play. Every show she put out with all her vigor, Flash seemed to be able to match it and more. Both of them were equally motivated and passionate about their skills, but there was a difference in their act. Something that Flash lacked and what Rainbow had in abundance.

An inflated ego.

Rainbow Dash had a lot of passion, and her heart was always in her songs but when her prideful and impatient personality comes to the picture everything else just seems to drown away. It rears its ugly head whenever she goes on solo. She thinks that she's strong enough to take on the entire world and that nothing and no one can stop her.

Granted, that kind of personality was often necessary for someone like Rainbow Dash. But there are times when she becomes... too hypnotized by her own desire for victory.

And that alone marred her performance.

"What's the matter RD?" Flash tried to sound confident as he panted for air. "You look… tired. Need a minute to... catch your breath?"

"Oh don't you worry about me." Rainbow forced out a weak smile. "I'm about to cook up a storm. I'm just getting my… second wind."

"Then I guess you won't mind if I go ahead and… steal your thunder!" The boy played and he played hard. He strummed his guitar with all the power his fingers could muster and let the tune vibrate throughout the school. It echoed over everyone, catching the attention of pedestrians, animals and even the worms living underground. The students who gathered were immediately enraptured, some had their guts twisting for that pitch. A powerful force emanated from the rock star, before he let out the final strut metaphorically blowing them away.

And when the last note was finished the crowd stood in anticipating silence before they erupted into an energizing applause that drowned all other sounds away. Not even Rainbow Dash could match that.

"I call that the Flash Drive Fold Special." He finished with a triumphant smile. "Let's see you top that."

She couldn't. Not at her level. Not without something to help even the odds.

"You're… about… to find out!"

_Uh oh._ Sunset didn't like where this was headed. Her unicorn senses were tingling and that could only mean that either magic was afoot or Rainbow Dash was about to do something stupid - or perhaps a bit of both.

And just like clockwork, when Rainbow Dash began to play her next tune her body began to hum with power. Electricity coursed through her guitar as it spat out static. You can feel the energy pulsing through dangerously like a loose wire. It was enough to send some folks stepping back in fear.

Not one to be done over, Flash decided to answer her challenge and played into her beat. He made a fair attempt. But with all that power humming in the air, Rainbow Dash was now in a whole new level.

"Try this on for size!"

Oh crud. Sunset recognized that stupid maneuver. She was gonna do a Rainboom Dive Bomb. It was the finisher to her solo performance. A trick she made up a while back but never really implemented it to the band due to the danger it entailed. Apparently volatile magic wasn't exactly safe especially when a large crowd was involved.

"Rainbow Dash! Stop!" But Sunset came by a little too late as the girl came crashing down exploding in a mushroom cloud of rainbows blowing people away – and this time… quite literally. A crater the size of a vending machine was left in her wake. The girl knelt at the center of it all, her body all ponied-up.

"HA! Beat that Flash Sentry!" Rainbow Dash shouted victoriously while panting between words.

"Beat that indeed." An authorizing voice interjected from a shadow that loomed over her. Rainbow whipped around and shuddered when she came face to face with Principal Celestia wearing a deep and menacing frown. "Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash… my office. Now."


	23. Flaws in our Rainbow

**Chapter 23: Flaws in our Rainbow**

**(CHS) (Hallway)**

Flash always knew that a battle of the bands can get physical at times. The world of music had its streak of violence before but he never thought that he would actually be a part of it. After his shred-off with Rainbow, the Principal called them in. No doubt irritated by the use of magic when she strictly banned it from school. Now there was a crater at the courtyard the size of an asteroid.

He hoped they weren't in trouble. That's the last thing he wanted for them.

The boy's attention lit up when the door to the office opened revealing both Sunset and Rainbow Dash all looking rather glum.

"Hey." He called out to them quietly as to not alert the teachers in the office. "How'd it go? You guys aren't in trouble, are you?"

"Not as much as Rainbow Dash is." Sunset thumbed her friend who groaned back in reply. They slowly walked through the hall and away from stray eavesdroppers. "Principal Celestia was livid about the whole thing. But thankfully she decided to leave us with a warning provided Rainbow Dash here write an essay as punishment. She wanted to give her detention but there's really not much point with the finals going on."

"That's totally unfair!"

"You're lucky it wasn't anything severe." The redhead warned her. "It could've been a lot worse with the damage you did out there. If it wasn't finals week, Principal Celestia could've suspended you. You know you're not supposed to use magic."

"I know I know. But I can't help it. You know me. When I get my groove going, there's just no stopping it. And you gotta admit. That Rainboom Dive Bomb was totally radical. It just needs a little more umph!"

Flash laughed in agreement sharing a fist bump with her. "Totally."

"Don't encourage her." Sunset grumbled. "Rainbow, you know that Principal Celestia doesn't want a lick of magic anywhere near the school. I think her tolerance has already hit its peak and I'm not going down with you if you do something stupid again. Remember what happened at the cruise? You sunk in quicksand and ruined everyone's vacation."

"Hey, in my defense, my evil-magic hunt got us to find another portal to Equestria which evens things out if think about it." Sunset returned that excuse with a glare that would've made Fluttershy sweat. "Ugh... ok. You made your point."

"Can you promise me that you'll keep all of this under wraps? No more magic. At least until the finals are over? The last thing we need is Principal Celestia breathing down our necks because you couldn't control yourself."

"Fine. I promise that I won't use magic at school from here on."

"You Pinkie promise?" Dang it. Why that?

"Ugh…" Rainbow Dash sighed but did so anyway. "Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye. There. Happy?"

"Just so. Ain't that right Pinkie?"

"Yup! Got it all here." She gave a thumbs up gestu…er… wait… when did Pinkie get here? And… she's gone.

Satisfied with the situation, Sunset gave a confirming nod before exiting the door noting the school janitors already filling out the crater that Rainbow Dash made. Seriously, the money the school spend on property damages has to be enormous by now. "Well I'm heading home to catch up on some studying. I'll see you guys tomorrow?"

"Yeah sure."

"Definitely."

"Great. And Rainbow Dash. No magic." She made a threatening eye to eye gesture.

"Yeah yeah. I heard ya the first time." The guitar gal rolled her eyes watching as Sunset headed off to catch the next bus. "Sheesh. No magic. Pffft. Stupid." She grumbled lowly when her friend was out of earshot.

"Well then…" Flash gave a coy smirk as he turned to the defeated. "I guess this means I win the bet."

"Yeah su…" Rainbow sputtered. "Wait what? Nah ah! No way. I totally blew you off with that last note!" Yeah, him and everyone else.

"I don't think it counts when you get told off by Principal Celestia. Besides, I think everyone will agree that I was the better shredder out there."

"Pfft. Whatever." Oh my god. She looked so cute when she fold her arms and puff her cheeks like that. "I'm counting it as a draw at best."

"I think the crowd begs to differ." He gestured over to several students who were waving at him. And Rainbow couldn't really deny his skills. Flash totally up his game in the match. She wasn't even able to level the playing field until she threw magic at the deal.

And she did tear the school yard a new pot hole which only added to her frustration."Ugh… fine! I'll play as your dumb backup. There! I said it."

"YES! Chalk one more for the Flash Drive." Flash pumped his fist in the air in triumph, much to the girl's irritation. "That's what I'm talking about. So wanna celebrate my victory over some ice cream? My treat."

"You want me to celebrate your victory over me?" She asked over irritation. "Tempting but no. I got better things to do than to take pity ice-cream from the enemy. I'm heading off to the bookstore downtown to get my new Daring Do adventure book. I need something good right now to get my mind off the exams… and this."

"Cool. You walking there?" He probably added her supers speed powers in that equation.

"Eheh. Yeah… no. I learned the hard way that high velocity and icy sidewalk… don't mix well. I got my bike. It might not be as fast as me but she gets the job done."

Flash blinked before suddenly noticing something which made him cringe a tad bit. "Ugh… you mean your motorcycle?"

"Pfft. Duh. What else would it be?"

"It wouldn't happen to be a blue one with multi-colored seating now, would it?"

Rainbow tilted her head. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

She followed his finger to her back where her motorcycle was parked – or at least where it used to park. The hitch pole where students lock their bikes was blown away, no doubt from the Rainboom Dive Bomb earlier. Her motorcycle was on the ground a few meters away, with one of the handles ripped from the body like a mistreated creature.

"My bike!" She quickly dashed to it grabbing it by its remaining handle. A quick scan of the chasis didn't spring much hope for her. "Oh man. Dad is gonna kill me." Rainbow Dash panicked but quickly calmed down with her trained breathing. "Ok… a little scratch here and there. But nothing that I can't fix. It should be doable. Right?" And strangely enough the universe decided to answer that challenge as the handle she held ripped from the torso causing the bike to fall to the ground once more in a thunderous crash shattering the headlights and taillights altogether. Pieces of her ride scattered all over the courtyard never to be seen or recovered ever again.

Flash could do little but watch not really sure if that just happened.

"I uh… know a place that can fix it up."

**(Sunset's house)**

Sunset yawned out loud as she dove into her books, brushing up on some of the lessons for tomorrow's exams. While she wouldn't technically call herself a genius, her grades in school was definitely above average around here. Even before her reformation she was considered brilliant in human standards. Granted, the language was difficult to grasp at first, but she managed to get through it eventually.

She couldn't wait for the Winter Holidays to start. Two weeks of endless joy she can't even begin to imagine what fun she and her friends will have. It would certainly give her time to catch up on her games too. She hasn't posted a single video in her gaming channel either. At this rate her subscriber rank will plummet.

"Sunset!"

"Bwah!" Sunset yelped when the music box spoke nearly making her fall off her chair. "Dan it Starlight! Mind giving me a heads up next time? You scared me."

"Sorry. The spell doesn't exactly do delays. But I think I can give it a whirl. Are you busy right now?"

She brushed it off, putting her textbook away. "Nah. Just brushing up on my Chemistry. But seriously though. We really need to add a ringtone to your calls if you're gonna keep popping in like this."

"A ring… tone?"

Sunset brushed it off, too lazy to explain the details of modern technology to a magic user. "Never mind. What's up? Did something happen?"

"Oh no. Not at all." The Headmare chuckled. "Well there was that dancing incident with Yona and Sandbar earlier but that's irrelevant to the reason why I'm calling you." She tilted her head up. "The thing is… we got some results on those magical artifacts you showed me."

Well that was a silver lining if she ever saw one. "Really? That's awesome! What did you find out?"

"Well I did some readings on the statue and the gemstone. But I wanted a second opinion on the whole thing so I brought in an expert."

Sunset looked back puzzlingly. "I thought you were the expert."

"Oh I am a master when it comes to magic but it pays to have another pony do a repeat. It just makes me look better on paper. Hang on. Let me bring him out." She mumbled to herself. "Now how did that spell go again? Similo duplexus and then combine it with telepus. Aha! Got it." The figurine then shined before splitting into two, with the copy transforming into a different pony.

"Gahh! What? Where? Who!?" The stallion with an orange mane and goatee jerked back from his stance looking startled. "How am I…? Starlight? How?"

"Sorry to interrupt you on your evening teatime. But we're running a little short on time." The Headmare added in a bit of a hurry. "Remember that little project I had you do? Well this is the part where you explain it." She turned over to her human friend. "Sunburst, meet Sunset. Sunset, this is Sunburst. The newly appointed Vice-Headmare of the school of friendship."

"H-Hello there." Sunburst greeted flicking his glasses politely only to open them wide when he saw Sunset's full stature. "Oh wow. How fascinating." He scanned the girl from head to toe liked he was trying to drink in all the details. It was a rather uncomfortable feeling. "I've never seen your kind of specimen before. Especially bipedal creatures. Starlight told me all about your world and your body structure but this is probably the first time I've ever laid eyes on an actual humanicus mammalia. Your physiology is incredible!"

"A humani… wha?"

"Please excuse him." Starlight added quickly. "He becomes hard to reach when he comes across something interesting."

"It's true." The orange unicorn nodded without a hint of shame. "I once read through Wynnum's guide to Magical Arcana six times before I felt lightheaded from starvation and dehydration. Heh… good times. I should probably give that thing another read later. Funny story. Starlight and I even…"

"Ahem. Sunburst. Time limit, remember?" The Headmare reminded pointing over to what Sunset deduced, was a clock.

"Oh! Right. Of course. I'll uh… bring you up to speed." He coughed into his hoof. "I've analyzed the artifacts that you discovered on the other world. The black gemstone is obviously a magic medium. It works similarly like your crystals providing the wielder with the ability to cast magic like any other unicorn."

"Yeah. Starlight told me that already."

The Headmare shushed her. "Hold on. Let him finish."

"After fully analyzing the gem, we've discovered that it bears similar properties to an artifact we have here at the school."

"Similar properties?" Sunset blinked. "You mean that gem came from Equestria?"

Sunburst shook his hooves. "Well… not exactly. The artifact was from one of Star Swirl's private collection."

"It's an old relic from back when Star Swirl first invented the mirror portals." Starlight continued. "He'd make a number of these to travel between worlds and collect things from each and study them back in Canterlot Castle. Some of them are actually pretty dangerous too."

"So you're saying that this gemstone…"

"Is definitely not from Equestria or the world you're on right now." She knew it. That kind of power was simply far too dangerous for this world that relied solely on technology.

"So where did it come from?" The two ponies looked at each other and shrugged.

"We… don't exactly know." Sunburst admitted. "Star Swirl had a lot of mirrors made during his time. A LOT. And his collection of relics and artifacts is staggering. It's no wonder he's such a famous sorcerer. It'll take some time before we can comb through all of it. And with all our new jobs here…"

"I know I know." Sunset nodded knowingly. "You got your own duties. I'm sorry for taking your time. But… that still doesn't explain how this gemstone ended up here."

"Actually, we can explain that." Starlight beamed much to her friends' delight. "And the answer to that lies within that statue." The redhead quirked a brow before grabbing the said statue. "Tell her Sunburst."

"Of course! Now this is the fun part." He stated excitingly. "Hold on to your saddlebags. Because that thing you have there is a multi-formulative-transdimensional-portal key!"

"A multi what now?"

Starlight rolled her eyes at her partner. "We just call it a Portal Stone for a lack of a better term." Oh yeah. That name seemed way easier to pronounce that the multi... something.

"That statue serves as key component to opening portals. Very complicated stuff! When combined with a set spell and runes, it can open a portal to an entirely different world!"

"So… it's like one of the mirrors?"

Sunburst laughed. "Ha! Please. This thing is on a different league than those. Star Swirl's mirrors are powerful, yes. But they simply act as a gateway to and from two worlds and nowhere else. With that statue and the portal structure , you can literally go anywhere with no limits. You can travel from Ponyvile to the Crystal Empire and back in a matter of seconds, or just to your local grocery store just in case you forget to buy the bread for breakfast. You can literally go anywhere just by stepping out of your room."

"Can't you just use a teleport spell?"

"Of course you can." Sunburst nodded expecting such a reaction. "But that's because we're unicorns. Anyone with a bit of raw magic can use it without horns or magical artifacts. You can use it to go literally anywhere, at any place! All you need is a bit of magical energy and poof."

Whoa… that did sound pretty cool. It would certainly save her on travel expenses. With that kind of ability she can go to the mall without metaphorically stepping out of her house. She can get to the beach without driving through traffic. Heck she'll never be late for school ever again!

"Wow… that is impressive."

"I know, right!?" The orange unicorn burst. "What I wouldn't give to have that thing in my lab and study it. We could implement it in our school. Have a direct portal between here and Canterlot! Or build one in my house at the Crystal Empire, or one to Sire's Hollow, maybe even Yakyakistan? Think of the applications! You can literally go around the world in a few minutes!"

"Easy there Sunburst. One thing at a time." Starlight cooed to her best friend before returning her attention to Sunset. "Anyway, we'll work on finding out where that black gem came from. If we know its origin then maybe we can find out more about it. Twilight's sending some help too from the Crystal Empire. I'll try to reach out for Star Swirl too. It's a bit of a long shot seeing how that pony isn't exactly easy to get in touch with. But it'll certainly make things easier for all of us."

"Thanks a lot you two." Sunset gave an appreciative nod. "I don't know what I'd do without your help right now. I'll keep in touch. We got exams coming right now so I might not have a lot of time on my hands."

"Hands?" Sunburst questioned.

Starlight laughed at him. "I'll tell you about it later. Oh… speaking of which, we're late for our meeting with EEA. Sorry Sunset but we'll have to talk later. The ponies in Education Association can be really finicky. Gotta go!" Without even waiting for a reply she broke the spell returning the music box to its original form.

"Bye..."

**(The Loose Screw Garage)**

Rainbow Dash paced back and forth around the waiting room like a parent waiting for her child's surgery. She was worried, anxious and downright infuriated. To herself mostly.

How could this have happened? Her Rainboom Dive Bomb was supposed to be a stunt that blew people's mind away, not her baby. Her friends often chastised her for pulling that move and they were right. Now she was paying for her idiocy by damaging one of her most treasured objects.

The clock in the room ticked, with every second feeling like hours. She would never forgive herself if her ride was put out of commission because of her over the top stunt. This was not how her it was supposed to go down.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" She yelled out at the boy who was with her who flinched at her sudden outburst.

"I… didn't say anything."

"Oh… sorry." She returned to pacing looking even more concerned. "I'm just really stressed out right now."

"Hey don't sweat. I totally get it. I was bummed out too when my car was wrecked that other time when I ran from the shadow monsters. The trick is to just breathe."

Yeah… that made sense.

"It'll be fine." He continued reassuring her. "I bet the guys here can fix it, no problem."

"Yeah…... yeah...you're right. I'm probably overreacting. It's probably not even as bad as it looks."

The mechanic entered not a second later grunting loudly, turning to face the pair like parents awaiting the result. "It's not as bad as it looks." _Oh thank god_. "It's a lot worse." You know you didn't have to put in that last bit, right?

Flash groaned. "Not exactly the answer I was hoping for, but ok."

"How bad is it, doc?" Rainbow Dash asked, steeling herself for the worse. "Give it to me straight. Don't hold anything back. I deserve the truth. I can handle it."

"I ain't a doctor… but… yeah sure." He shrugged uncaringly. "Well for starters, your baby there got more scratches and dents than the dirt road, you got a bad fuel leak, the breaks are busted, steering handles are are wreck, and don't even get me started with the transmission." The owner of the bike flinched as every news he gave felt like another stab into her heart. "What did you do to it? Throw it down a skyscraper or something?"

The answer to that question was '_Or something_' indeed. But they didn't want to say. It's not like they could just say magic was involve.

"Can you fix it?" Flash asked, holding his friend up as she looked like she was gonna faint.

"Well… yes and no." Which one was it? You can't have both dude. "That over there is a Cloudsdale Angel Classic. It's an extremely old model. They don't make them anymore and the parts alone are practically vintage. You can only find them on private collectors preserved like fossils. At this point, you're better off buying a new one."

"But I can't just throw away Rainbow Blaze!" Rainbow Blaze? Seriously? That's what you name your ride? "This baby and I have been through so much together. My first ever road trip around the city, or that time I had to go a dentist because crashed on a tree on my way to the movie house. Dad gave it to me when I finally got my driving license. It's just as important to me as Tank! There's gotta be something you can do."

The mechanic shrugged. He was really good at the shrugging part. "I can probably fix the dents and the handle. But that's about it. Unless you know someone who owns a vintage working Cloudsdale Angel Classic, then I'm sorry to say: You're out of luck. You can come and pick it up in a few days – or… what's left of it anyway." _Dude. Uncool._ With a bored nod the man went away leaving Rainbow Dash to sulk on her bike.

"Hey… it's not the end of the world." Flash comforted her. "I'm sure you can find another one."

"No I won't." She sobbed. "Didn't you hear? They don't make them anymore. Rainbow Blaze is a one of a kind. Dad and I maintained it for years. He's gonna be so mad when he sees it turned inside out like it was put in a blender!" But then an idea came to mind. She turned to Flash and smiled weakly. "I don't suppose you'd have one in your big basement."

Sadly the boy shook his head. "Sorry. My dad is into exotics, not classics." Well it was worth a shot. "I can let you borrow one of my bikes if you want."

"No… it's fine. I'll… just take the bus." Oooh… being reduced to public transportation. For a speedster like RD, that was pretty much the same as clipping her wings and then dropping her out of the tallest building you can find. Watching her plummet to the cold dark void below and hearing the echoes of her scream as she flapped her feathers in futility.

"You know… if we leave now we can probably still make it to the bookstore and get your Daring Do novel." He smiled warmly and gestured her to his car.

"No... I can't."

"It's fine. You said you needed something to get your mind off the test, right?" Flash reasoned back shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. "Besides, I can't leave a friend hanging out in this weather."

She blinked, somewhat surprised, while she rubbed her arm shyly. "Oh… uh thanks?"

"Plus I can't leave my backup guitar freezing before she pays me back."

"Oh why you little…!" She threw a swing and a miss.

**(Celestia/Luna's Apartment)**

The first day of the exams was over. Celestia took that as a sign and decided to sit back and relax for a while. While Rainbow Dash's little magic stunt made a dent at her perfect day she can't really blame her for that. It was kind of expected that one of them would crack eventually and naturally she wasn't surprised that the hothead of the group would be the one to break first.

Ugh… she can't wait for this week to end so she can finally take that paid vacation leave. Two weeks of no work and endless fun under the snow. It'll be magnificent. Even more so when Sombra told her that he had a surprise for her for the New Year. She can hardly begin to imagine it.

Heck these last few days with him have already sparked so much of her old memories. He practically took her to all the hottest spots in the city. They visited cafes, restaurants, and even went to the zoo one time. Heck he even took her to the town hall party where all the political circles converged. That was a pretty hard bar to beat.

Thursday really can't come fast enough.

"Uh… sister."

The Principal blinked seeing her little sister clutching the phone. "Yes Luna? What's the matter? You look paler than usual."

"It's the board of education. They've approved the budget for the repairs. Thankfully it wasn't much and they didn't ask any questions."

"So? That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Except that they added something extra to the conditions." Extra conditions? That was never good. It normally involved a cut in budget or a favor here or there. And sometimes it can be very… cumbersome if the board wanted.

"And that would be…?"

"The board have somehow noticed that our school didn't have Student Counselor. They want to rectify that. They said that it would be good for the students to have someone to open up to."

That sounded like something they've been planning for a while. The school didn't really need a counselor since there wasn't any reason. The students here were well behaved and had a bright future ahead of them.

"That doesn't sound too bad." Celestia admitted. To be honest it actually feels easier than the tasks they were given previously. "I suppose I can put out a notice in the school website. We can have them come in right after the Winter Holidays."

"Actually… they already have someone in mind for that position. They'll be sending 'Him' over as a… gift. So to speak."

"Him?"

"Your old friend from Hooverton." Luna flashed the man's photo on her phone which drained her sister's color. "Yeah. I thought that might be your reaction."

"I thought he was working in the academy. Why would 'He' of all people want to work in a high school?"

"I'm not quite sure myself but I can't really find a reason to decline their offer."

"Chairman Neighsay." Celestia dreaded that name like it was poison. He was the worst of the best. _'The vampire of Hooverton' _they call him because of his haunting personality and exclusive use of black and red as his choice of wardrobe. The man was brilliant, incorruptible, and utterly inflexible when it came to rules and regulations. If there was a rule book out there, he'd probably have read it and memorized it to heart. Any infraction or misconduct acted in his presence is normally and unavoidably put to the full extent of the law. And students weren't the only ones to feel his wrath. Teachers fear him. Grown men and women tremble at his presence.

His reputation was solidified when he willingly expelled a close friend of his during his college years. Ever since then he rose through the ranks of the board of education, becoming a chairman of the council.

He was both the judge and executioner. And no one was exempted from his gavel.

"He'll be arriving next week for a... _surprise _inspection."

Celestia groaned. "This is not how I wanted to begin the New Year."

**(Rainbow Dash's house)**

Flash parked his car over by the sidewalk just in front of Rainbow Dash's house. It was a cute little home that strangely did not match with its resident. But then again it seems like everyone here had a side of themselves that they didn't want to reveal.

"Are you gonna be ok?" He asked his passenger who sighed lowly to herself. Rainbow Dash had this depressing look on her face during the whole trip. No doubt thinking about her precious bike that was still in the shop. There was really no helping that thing with the damage done to it.

"Yeah… I'll be fine." She didn't sound so convincing with that sigh. "I just need to be cool."

"You think your dad will be mad for wrecking his ride?"

"Mad? No. Upset… maybe. That was his first ever bike. But he's not here right now. He's out on some business trip and won't be back until the weekends so I still got time to think of a good excuse." She forced a laugh. "You think he'll buy it if I told him that I was attacked by some shadow monster in the parking lot?"

"If he knows you have magic, maybe. But I figure you should give it to him straight. No point leaving the band-aid on forever, right?"

"Ugh… man. Now you sound just like Applejack."

"I will take that as a compliment." He replied grinning. "But seriously. Just tell him the truth. I'm sure he'll understand. He is your dad after all. I think he deserves to know."

"Yeah… you're probably right." She opened the car door and got out. Her first instinct was to simply go in her house and leave it at that. But to both their surprise, she didn't. Slowly she leaned on his door grunting. "Hey uh… thanks for driving me to the bookstore and… back home. You helped me out a lot today."

The boy chuckled softly in reply. "Don't sweat it. You know I'm always happy to help you girls out."

"And… sorry for earlier. I know that I can be a bit…"

"Competitive? Snobby? Prideful? Arrogant? Selfish? Crazy? Mad? Loony?" He added raising a finger on each example. "You can tell when I get it right."

"Emotional." She retorted. "I was gonna say emotional."

He shrugged. "Eh… I still prefer snobby."

"Emotional!" Rainbow demanded. "You know how I get when I compete. I can get out of hand when it comes to competition. And… sorry about blasting you with my magic."

"Oh please. That was nothing." He waved it off nonchalantly. "I was turned into a zombie at one point, brainwashed by Sirens, a plant lady tried to imprison us in her camp for all eternity and I got struck my magic lightning." He then raised his bandaged hand as proof. "Compared to what we've been through, your Rainbow Dive Bomb was just a cute breeze."

"Jerk." She threw him a punch, chuckling.

"And there we go." Flash stated, smiling giddily as if he won something. "I finally got you to laugh. And here I thought you'd be Sulky-McGee for the whole night."

"Me?" The girl scoffed. "I wasn't sulking."

"Rainbow Dash, you had a frowny face on you ever since we left the garage. I know your bike is important to you and your dad, but chin up. It's not the end of the world."

"I know I know. You don't have to say it."

"And try to smile a little more. You look a lot better with a smile on your face."

"Oh… pssh." She gave a snarky look. "You rip that line from a movie."

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

Her cheeks darkened. "Maybe. Just don't get used to it. One of these days I'll outdo you at your own show."

"I'm already looking forward to it." Ah crud. She got reeled in to that line. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah… later."

And with his foot on the pedestal the boy drove off into the lonely road watching Rainbow in his rearview mirror. She lingered at the sidewalk for a minute or so, waving cutely at him before slowly slipping back to her house.

When he was finally alone, the boy reached for his phone and dialed his favorite number. "Edmund… it's me."

_"Master Flash."_ The man on the other line spoke up regally. _"How may I be of service?"_

"You mind putting out a call to some of dad's collector friends? I'm looking for something."


	24. Rules of Engagement

**Chapter 24: Rules of Engagement**

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter Amphitheater) (Tueday) (Morning)**

"Hmmm…" Rarity puckered her lips curiously as she added several touches to her lineup. She arrived at the crack of dawn to put her first production on display. It was grueling at first attempting to put all her imagination into one outfit but she had to admit that the results were well worth the stress.

She based much of her design on the runic statue photo that Twilight gave her yesterday. The goddess' wings looked absolutely foreign. With all the decorative feathers radiant jewels, it was definitely one of her greatest masterpiece. One might even say that it had the mixture of Saddle Arabia's elegance and the Yaztec people's warmongering attitude. It was a blend of both truth and myths, fantasy and reality. A little something that she hope would garner a tad bit of attention from Hoity Toity.

"Rarity?" Vignette Velencia, her partner in fashion gasped as she entered the backstage of the amphitheater. She approached and gave her partner a cute hug. "Well what do you know. Here before the morning sun. It seems we great minds really do think alike."

"Yes. I came by to finalize my designs. It took me all night but I'm sure it will leave an impact. I was hoping to have Hoity Toity judge it before my next exam." She looked at the timer in her phone. "Which starts in two hours."

"Well I hope so too. Did you hear that three more candidates dropped out of the contest yesterday?" Three more? That's about 1/3 of the contestants. They really are dropping like flies. At this rate there won't be enough people for the second round. "Apparently the three of them formed an alliance with one another – and it turned out that they each stole each other's designs. You can tell where that led."

Rarity knew it far too well. Their alliance broke apart and they couldn't bear the peer pressure of stardom. This business can be tough but come on people, have some self-worth! At the very least try to act like professionals.

"Goodness. How many does that make it?"

"I stopped counting after the sixth." Vignette sighed. "Honestly, these people have no sense of professionalism. If you can't trust each other, who can you trust?"

"I couldn't agree more." Rarity nodded. Why make an alliance if you're just gonna stab each other in the back? "But I must admit that this little competition Hoity Toity has us doing is a bit unorthodox. Making us compete like this."

"You heard what he said Rarity. This business isn't for the weak. Only the strongest and most tenacious among us will be able to reach the top." The former star designer added with good reason. "Just think of the prize that comes after. The Grand Runway. Anyone who runs through that lot is bound to get a spot at the limelight. In just 15 minutes and everyone in the world will know your name."

"You have the right mindset Vignette." The two fashionistas flinched when a shady voice crept up behind them with a shadowy grin. "Always keep your eye on the prize. Only the result counts in this world. The end justifies the means."

"Mr. Toity." The two of them gave a respectful nod to the man.

"Please. Don't be humble. In the end we are all cut from the same cloth, no?"

"Umm… yes of course."

"Rarity. And Vignette. I see you two are here to submit your own designs." Hoity added flicking his shades upward. How can he see anything with those? The sun was still barely up. "I do hope you're better than those before you. When Sombra invited me to open my store in this city I was promised the greatest and most imaginative minds. Yet so far I am… unimpressed. Honestly, regal dress and modern day knights? You may as well bring me jeans and T-shirts and no one would be able to tell the difference." Ouch… that was harsh, but fair.

"Mr… Toity. I have here one of my…"

"Mr. Toity." Vignette interrupted, taking the spotlight in the man's eyes. "I have here five of my original designs. Please… judge them."

And like a god judging the mortal's worth, he did. "Very well. Let us see what you have brought me." He took a long look at the lineup of mannequins and hummed every time he found something. Vignette held her breath all the while flinching at every waking moment.

Even Rarity could tell that she was nervous.

Finally… after a long silence, Hoity returned to give out his judgment. "Your designs are… adequate… I suppose." The star designer breathed a sigh of relief. That kind of comment from him was pretty much a seal of approval. She was definitely through the first round. "They are certainly better than the rags the others brought me."

"Oh! Thank you Mr. Toity." Vignette practically deflated, holding her phone, waiting for him to look away so she can text to her heart's desire. "I knew I would catch your attention if I gave it my all."

"Yes yes. Congratulations and so and so." He brushed her off with little care before turning to Rarity's singular dress. "And what do you have for me, young Rarity? Do you bring me clothes fit for gods – or are you only good at making outfits for… animals?"

Rarity gulped. The man was clearly in a league of his own. Not even Ms. Hemline commanded such presence before. Heck, just having his shades reflect her imperfect face made her bones sweat.

"Um… actually… I was hoping to get your opinion to one of my dresses. I made it through one of my inspired moments."

He cared little for her reasoning and immediately went to work. His pose made a boring gesture before he finally scanned the dress in question. Rarity wanted to hold her breath in but Hoity beat her to it.

She felt him react strangely like he was hit by a brick. There was friction in his clothes as his body froze in place. His eyes traced the dress from top to bottom, even going as far as almost touching the headpiece.

"Rarity." He stated her name which made the said girl flinch. "Where did you come across this… inspiration?"

"Oh… oh! Well it was um… inspired by a statue – or a figurine." She brought out her phone flashing the said photo. "It was something I came across with my friends. It's of uh…"

"Yaztec design." The man's voice went cold and harsh like he swallowed a sour pill.

"Do you not like it?"

He exhaled and somehow remembered where he was. "On the contrary. It's rather impressive." Rarity's eyes glittered. "Well designed, no blemishes, folds or wrinkles, original sleeves and the fabric. This is not one of mine."

"N… no sir. Actually the fabric was something I cooked up in my workshop. I used different pieces to makeup the seams."

"Very good." Hoity grinned. "Very good indeed. I might even put this up on my display case. Excellent work Rarity. You are clearly on the right path."

"Oh! Thank you Mr. Toity!"

"But…!" He raised his hand up ruining the moment. "One simple dress is not enough to sway me. You must keep up this trend. Show me more of your originality. I asked for five and you will bring me five. Understood?"

"Yes. Of course! Absolutely!"

**(Flash's house)**

Nope… nope… nada. Nilch. None. Nothing.

Flash grumbled into his hand as the last of the document slid to the side of the dining table. He had been going through a list of his dad's collector friends looking for a Cloudsdale model. With a roster of wealthy donors and snooty rich folk he expected that at least one of them would have one of those old classics hidden in a private museum somewhere. But sadly there was none. After some quick research he discovered the model wasn't exactly popular to folks around here.

Apparently the model had some major flaws in it which struck its sales. Flaws that made even the most daring dare-devil think twice on purchasing it. Loose wheels, suspension that would break on the first bump, seats that would heat up and explode when you drive for too long. That sort of stuff. By the time the company fixed the problems and put the new ones on the shelves, they went bankrupt and the company was sold to the highest bidder a year later. Now only a handful of them even exists around here and the rest of their product fell into obscurity. He had hope to at least get the parts, but the factory that manufactured the ride closed down too. Word has it that the parts alone were liable to breakdown, leak or… worse for worse: spontaneously combust.

Yeesh. The more he read about this bike, the worse it looked. Perhaps that mechanic was right. Maybe it would be better if Rainbow Dash bought a new one instead. Her bike sounded like a deathtrap just waiting to happen.

"Looking through antiques?"

"Gah!" The boy flipped, spilling his documents on the table. "Oh… hey dad. Uh… yeah. Just looking over some stuff."

Sombra smugly laughed. "Well if you're going to be interested in something, I prefer if you had a safer hobby, son. Those old 'Classics' as they call them are far more reliable to explode." Yeah, so he knows. "Edmund told me that you're looking for a Cloudsdale Classic. Terrible model at the start until they fixed the problems. No one would dare keep something so… volatile... in their collection."

"So no one has it?"

"Doubtful son." His father joined him at the table snapping his finger at his butler who came by with a glass of juice. "Why are you so interested all of a sudden?"

Flash sighed. "Well… a friend of mine had an accident – a totally normal accident." He added that last bit suspiciously fast. "…and her bike was damaged. I wanted to look for the parts but no dice. I checked four garages and no one has them in stock."

"Hmmmm…" The professor put a hand over his chin in thought. "You might not be able to get the right model… but I think you can convert some from various other bikes. The company that made the bike have similar parts. If you use those, you might even make it a whole lot safer."

"Really?"

"It wouldn't be the first time someone Frankensteined their vehicles. I think we might have a few of them in our garage."

"That's great! I'll take a look."

"Slow down, son." Sombra ushered him back to his seat. "Don't go thinking you can just break apart MY collection for your friends. You'll need to earn it. I'm still upset about the sudden loss of my account when you hired an entire construction company to rebuild a farm." Oh… right… that. "However I am willing to let you go through our parts under one condition."

"O…k?"

"This Friday, I'm inviting my business partner, Igneous Rock and his family, over for dinner. And I want you to attend. He and I along with his wife will be negotiating over some of his owned land to me. I want you to keep his daughter, Pinkie Pie, entertained."

Oh god. Not this again.

"Pinkie? She's coming too?"

"Yes. I believe you remember her." You can never forget someone like Pinkie, but that wasn't what he was so surprised at. "It would be a good opportunity for you two to bond."

"Uh… yeah dad. About that." Flash opted shyly. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

He gave a stunted look. "Oh? Why not? If I remember correctly, you said that you had a wonderful time together on your date."

"We did. But I don't think that Pinkie and I will work out."

"Oh nonsense. She looks like a lovely girl to be with. A little awkward at times but she's definitely the better of all her sisters." He eyed his son. "Why so hesitant? It's not like you're dating anyone right now."

"Not yet anyway."

"That's the spirit son."

Flash groaned. "Not like that. Besides, she doesn't see me that way. We're just good friends."

"Really? That's odd. She didn't seem to think like that when I last saw her." She didn't? "In fact she was kind of looking forward to it. Almost excitedly so." That can't be right. Pinkie looked pretty irked by the whole thing. But then again she wasn't exactly clear on her stance. "But I suppose, if you don't wish to join, then I can't force you either."

Oh that's a relief. It would be really awkward. "Thanks dad."

"But then… I suppose you won't be getting those parts for your friend's motorcycle either." He finished with a dung eating grin.

…

…

...

Dang it.

"Do I need to wear a tie?"

**(CHS) (Band room) (Afternoon)**

"Wow… so you're saying that this is a real live multi-formulative-transdimensional key?" Twilight's face practically oozed nerdiness as she said that name out in perfect pronunciation at the first try. Sunset had explained the details that Starlight and Sunburst gave her which prompted the two of them to have a private meeting in the band room. Sadly the rest of the club were too busy with other things to meet up. Applejack and Fluttershy were studying for their exams, Rarity's off saying something about her future as a fashion designer, Pinkie's filing a complaint for the lack of sugar treats in the menu (Again) and Rainbow was at the cafeteria helping out as part of her punishment for breaking the magic ban yesterday.

"We simply call it a portal stone."

"That would explain what I saw in the cave the other day!" Twilight huffed, her mouth practically frothing over the figurine. "The structure that I was teleported to, had to be the portal that connects to the stone. If we bring this back there, reattach the statue to the platform, we'll be able to activate the portal itself! We'll be able to travel the world in seconds!"

"Easy there Twilight. Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Sunset cooed, bringing the girl back to reality. "Remember that we still got a giant Cyclops to deal with? The one that our magic had no effect on and almost crushed us?"

She rocked her head back and forth in a 50-50 agreement. "Ok maybe we have a few obstacles in our way but that's nothing compared to the reward! Can you imagine, instant teleportation from one corner of the world to another? Oh the implications!" Red alert. We're losing her. Someone bring in a mathematical problem stat before she conks! "Oh and this thing explains so much too!"

"It does?"

Twilight hastily brought out a book from her bag flipping it to a page she folded. "The Yaztec was a tribe of people who was bent on conquering the world through force. It was said that their armies brought ruin to hundreds of civilizations." Yikes. Not exactly the kind of neighbors you'd want to have. "Speculations says that they could wipe out an entire nation within days. Their warriors would appear out of nowhere and vanish the next day. They would've ruled the whole world too if they hadn't disappeared so mysterious."

"O…k? And what does that have to do with anything?"

"Don't you get it!?" She grinned like a mad scientist discovering a secret formula. "The rumor about them conquering the world wasn't a rumor at all. It's why their civilization springs out in different parts of the world. This was how they were planning to do it. They'd send small groups throughout key points throughout the world and build these giant portals. Once they were done, they'd send their armies through them and attack like they came out of thin air."

Wow… that was kind of smart… and kind of scary too. It was a brilliant strategy. With that kind of ability, there'd be little to no problem in taking over the world. Just build a portal between your warriors and your target and there'll be no walls that can stop you.

Sunset raised a brow. "But if they're so powerful, why'd they disappear?"

"That's the mystery! No one knows!" Her best friend grinned. "Some say that a cataclysmic event wiped them all out. A plague, a famine, a great flood, earthquake. Some speculate that a meteor struck, wiping them off the world." That last one sounded a bit too much like the dinosaurs, but Sunset wasn't going to point that out. Her guess was as good as anyone.

"So what's our next move? Did our website catch anything?"

She took a glance at her phone as she answered. "A few hits. There's one place in particular just outside of the city called Freefall Island. Cinch's readings pinged at a castle there. There's a ferry that runs from there to the docks. I can book us a trip."

"Whoa whoa. Easy there Twilight." The redhead cooled her jets. "You do remember we still have our exams, right?"

"Right right. Of course. Education is important." There we go. Back to the sane clear thinking Twilight. "I know that we said that we wouldn't go after any magical adventures but it won't hurt to plan ahead. I'll reserve tickets for the whole club. We'll just make it an activity. I'm sure Principal Celestia won't mind."

"Oh right… our club." Sunset cooed in realization. Their club was still a thing. Vice-Principal Luna even stated that they were still active and would be allowed a minimum budget from the school. The only difference is that they weren't allowed to operate within the school itself. It goes against the… no magic thing. "Speaking of planning ahead… how'd your talk with Timber go? Did you give him an answer on his offer?"

Twilight blushed at the thought. "Actually. No. I mean… not yet. I'm still conflicted. I want to say that I do want to move in with him some day. Just… not right now. I feel like he's going a little too fast on this whole relationship."

"Huh… that sounds like the right call to make."

"But what if he takes it the wrong way? He might think I don't love him anymore. What if me declining his heartfelt offer tears us apart?"

"Is your relationship really that fragile?"

"Yes!" She paused. "Well no. I mean we've only been through like… a few hundred dates together. We practically visited every remarkable location in Canterlot. Including the hilltop." She then noted Sunset giving her a half-hearted look. "Sorry. It's just that I'm not really used to relationships. Timber is my first ever boyfriend and I really want things to work out. I just don't really know how I'm supposed to act around him. Do you have any advice?"

Sunset turned away shyly. "Oh… I don't think I'm the right girl to turn to when it comes to interpersonal relationships."

"But you used to date Flash, right?" Why do people keep bringing that up?

"Yeah. But I was different back then. I didn't put that much effort in that relationship. In the end I was just using him to increase my popularity."

"I don't think that's the whole truth." Twilight spoke up much to Sunset's surprise. "You keep saying that you don't like-like him, but I get the feeling there's more to that." She smiled sweetly leaning by the piano.

"What?"

"You go on and on about keeping him safe, you worry about him constantly, always trying to make it up to him saying that you were a terrible girlfriend. But in truth, I think deep down, you must've liked him. No. Correction: You still do like him."

Sunset turned away hiding her colored cheeks. "You're crazy. We're not that close."

"Am I?" Twilight took on that challenge. "Because it seems to me you got even closer. If I was a gambling girl, which I'm not. I bet he's still secretly into you. Why else would he willingly risk his neck for us on so many occasions?"

"Because he's a reckless meathead who wants to be part of our magical adventures?"

"Or… he secretly wants to get back with you!" Twilight insisted on that. "I mean think about it. It makes total sense in the end. He brought you to the museum, brought you priceless relics from his home, and even saved us from a power raging professor! That has to mean something."

"Yeah. And he also fixed Applejack's farm and helped Rarity out in a bind. I don't see either of them fawning over him or the other way around." Oh Sunset. If only you knew the truth.

"Just give it a shot. I'm sure he's doing all of this so that he could get your attention."

Yeah right. They were just friends now. There's no way he could still be interested in her romantically now… can he?

**(Later that night) (Rarity's house)**

Rarity couldn't sleep.

Despite being wrapped in her comfy blanket and tucked into her bed she can't seem to get a single wink in. Her mind was racing. When she heard Hoity Toity sing praises for her dress her brain had been going through overdrive trying to come up with the best designs. She tried to imagine something related to the Yaztec and only found a few scarce information lying in books and the internet. A few portraits came around and a large variety of weapons and armors but nothing that could be used for her costumes. Not unless she wanted to present the next season of Canterlot Cannibals in her presentation.

"Ugh… this is useless." She muttered to herself as she pulled her blankets off. "It normally isn't this hard for me to design my own clothes. And the deadline is in a few days. I really need to get my game on or I'll be missing the biggest chance of a lifetime." The fashionista grumbled and groaned for a few minutes going through the designs she had on her table but found none of them eye-catching. "How am I supposed to present anything at all if I don't have anything to go by? Maybe a little midnight snack will help jog my brain up."

She quietly headed down to the kitchen pass Sweetie Belle's room. There on the fridge she grabbed herself a diet soda and chugged it down easily.

It would've made for a calm night too had she not heard an echo. Rarity quickly whipped her head around scanning the room she was in.

"H… hello?" She called out. "Is someone there?" There was no reply. Only the snowy breeze outside her house and the old humming of the heaters. Could it have been her imagination? "Goodness. All this stress is simply getting to my head. Is this what it feels like to be deprived of sleep?"

"Pffft!"

Ok… forget that. Rarity definitely heard someone chuckling just now.

"Sweetie Belle? Darling? Is that you?" Another giggle and a snarky laugh. "Sweetie Belle. If that's you sneaking around, I will have you know that this isn't funny. Come out right now, young lady or you're going to be in so much trouble."

A loud noise of objects falling came from the adjacent room which caused her to sprint it that direction. It came from her workshop. Reaching for the door she yanked it open hoping to catch the perp in the act. But instead she found the place completely trashed like a tornado came through.

"My workspace!" Rarity screamed as she turned to her clothes. "My fabrics! My designs! My collection!" Everything was scattered everywhere. Not even Opal's litter-box was spared. There was no way Sweetie Belle would've done this. Her sister knew far too well how important her dresses are. "Who's there!? I know you're in here." She immediately ponied-up drawing power from her geode to cast a light spell.

From there she saw them. Three feminine shadowy figures lingered in her workshop staring back at her with bright yellow eyes and an amused grin.

"Y… you're definitely not Sweetie Belle." She heard them hiss as they slithered within the shadows like snakes. "I don't know who you are or what you want but I'll have you know that you messed with the wrong fashionista! As Rainbow Dash would say: Prepare to be schooled!"

The shadowy figures answered that challenge with a gleeful laugh and attacked.


	25. The Fog Thickens

**Chapter 25: The Fog Thickens**

**(Wednesday) (Early morning) (Rarity's house)**

"You were attacked!?" Sunset's voice nearly deafened the room. Though no one could really blame her at this point. When she woke up this morning she expected the day to go on by just like any other. But instead she received a call from Applejack reporting another magical incident.

It was another home invasion. A shadow monster had snuck its way to the sanctuary of one of her friends and attacked her in the dead of night. And from the looks of the damage done in the house, she can tell that a rough battle took place here.

Thankfully the damage was limited to the inside of the house. Broken furniture, tossed up trinkets here and there. But the most damaging of all was Rarity's private workshop. All the tools, fabric and schematics for her fashion design were all torn up. Even her prized sowing machine was broken right down the middle. It was as if someone had gone through the place searching for something.

"Shhhh… quiet." Rainbow Dash was surprisingly the one to shush her. "You wanna wake up the whole neighborhood?" The whole gang had gathered at the scene of the crime finding Rarity alive and unharmed – mostly anyway. The only scraps she had was from a fall she took when she fought those monsters causing a bruise around her shoulder. Nothing a little makeup can't hide.

"It's quite alright darling. I'm not hurt." Not physically at least. "Just a little shaken that's all. Though I'm feeling a lot better now that you're all here."

"But you're sure that the ones that attack you are shadow monsters?" Twilight inquired leaning by her injured friend.

"Absolutely. They had all the hallmarks of the devilish ones. They were deathly afraid when I shined a little light on them and they slithered inside the shadows like those beastly wolves. Though these ones looked more like snakes than dogs." Her attention was grabbed by Pinkie when the bubbly gal offered her a cup of hot coco. "Thank you sweetie."

"Chocolate makes everything better."

"But how?" Applejack questioned. "I thought we saw the last of those things when we beat Cinch. She shouldn't be able to use magic without her bracelet."

"Looks like she got a new one." Rainbow Dash hissed. "And it looks like she's back to her old tricks. I say we visit that old lady and show her who she's dealing with!"

"I agree with Rainbow Dash." The cowgirl nodded pumping her fists together. "If Cinch wants a rematch, she'll get one."

"Let's not be too hasty here." Twilight objected though she could understand their thirst for vengeance. "According to what Cadance told me, Cinch doesn't remember a thing. She has amnesia."

"Pfft. Yeah right." Rainbow scoffed. "That's just something that happens on stories. Amnesia doesn't really happen to people." There was a lot to pick on that sentence but no one had the time and patience to correct her.

"Well we're not going to find her standing here." Sunset nodded in agreement. "As much as I hate to say it: We need to find Cinch and get some answers out of her. But we shouldn't all go at once or it'll look suspicious. Twilight and I don't have any morning exams. We'll go visit her while the rest of you stay."

"Umm… question." Fluttershy raised her hand up like a student in class. "Shouldn't we call the authorities for this? Like the Police?"

"No! No police, no authorities! Absolutely none of that." Rarity voiced her opinion loudly much to everyone's shock. "I'm… I'm sorry darling but with my position at Hoity Toity's pageant show, I just can't afford to have any kind of bad publicity on my part. It would bring unwanted attention. A scandal at this time will jeopardize my position and I may lose this once in a lifetime opportunity. And word might reach school as well. And you heard Principal Celestia. She doesn't want any magic related incidents near there."

"But what will you do about all this damage?" Twilight pointed out to the wrecked workshop.

"I'll have someone fix it easily. Though… I don't think I'll be staying here for the night. I'll have to find a hotel for me and Sweetie Belle."

"Don't you be going anywhere fancy just yet." Applejack spoke with a stern tone. "You can stay at my place until all of this gets sorted out. It'll be like a sleepover. We can bunk together at my room while your sister can hang out with Apple Bloom. It might not be a 5 star hotel like you wanted but I reckon you'll want a powerhouse like me just in case those shadows decide to show up again."

Rarity smiled thankfully at her friend and nodded. She'll take anywhere but here. At least until the shadow monsters are dealt with.

"Then it's settled." Sunset stated to which everyone nodded back. "Twilight and I will go find Cinch. We'll keep you all posted. If you don't hear from us by noon, that means we're in trouble."

"I'm going too." Rainbow Dash volunteered. "No one hurts my friends and gets away with it."

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

Hoity stood at the center of his shop that morning casting a glance over the rising sun. He puffed a sigh when he noted his dark gemstone shining with a sickening color. He quickly closed the blinds darkening the store and made sure no one was around to see or hear him. There was a strange impatience in his footsteps as he brought his bracelet out and let it glow.

A portal tore through space and time calling forth an ethereal being from the other side. The fashion star knelt to the floor as feminine figure approached him.

**"Hoity..."** The lady on the other side of the portal spoke in a dark threatening tone. **"What is the meaning of this? My agent in Canterlot reported that you have used your magic out of line. Explain yourself!"**

"Forgive me Master. But there… has been a... complication." While her face was not visible he could tell that she displeased with the word. "I know you did not wish for me to intervene with the children from the CHS. But I had to take the initiative."

**"The children are not a threat to us. Their victory over Cinch should've returned them to dormancy. Your attack on them only jeopardizes our position."**

"I assure you that the risk was necessary. It has come to my attention that the girls has come into possession of a Travel Stone."

The shrouded figure went deathly quiet as the anger she resonated suddenly vanished. Her figure stood still while her voice coarse. **"A Travel Stone? How is that possible?"**

"I do not know, Master. But there is no doubt about it. Somehow they were able to acquire one." He spoke up quickly, showing the urgency of this matter.

**"Impossible!"** She hissed. **"There was no mention of any portal around the area. I would've known." Her eyes sharpened at her henchman. "Did you retrieve it?"**

"No Master. I sent my minions to find it but they were unable to locate it. I believe the item in question is with one of the others. However… I do not think they know of its true function just yet."

**"Whether they know it or not is irrelevant. A relic of such power in their hands is just as dangerous as a lit torch near a powder keg. They're children playing with powers beyond their comprehension. This cannot be allowed."**

"Shall I wait for the others to arrive?"

She thought for a moment before shaking her head in response. **"That will take too long and they will most likely find the stone's true purpose by then. You will have to make do with what you have. While I do not condone your barbaric methods, the situation demands it. The recovery of the Travel Stone takes precedence."** Her eyes quietly narrowed. **"Do what you must to recover it. Spare no effort. Report to me once you have it."**

A sadistic grin crept up to his lips as he hid it with a bow. "It shall be done, Master." Satisfied with his answer, the portal mysteriously vanished leaving him alone with his shadow. "You can come out now, ladies."

Three shadowy figures exited from the dark, smiling evilly.

"Are we free to act?"

"Can we swat and smack?"

"Or are we still held back?"

Hoity returned their grin with his own. "Now now ladies. Be a little more patient. While I want you all to go wild in this city, we must be tactful as well." He held up a series of photos depicting each of Rarity's closest friends. "Search the homes of each of these children. Find the stone, recover it. You may do as you like to any of them afterward."

They giggled and laughed maniacally like children having their favorite treats being dangled in front of them. And like the snake that they were, they vanished into the darkness enacting their master's will.

**(Silver Stable Retirement Home)**

"So this is the place." Sunset heard Rainbow Dash growl with a menacing voice as Twilight drove into the parking lot. She was referring to the almost criminally innocent looking place called the Silver Stable Retirement Home. The place was so clean and nice looking that one might hardly think something sinister was happening within its walls. "The werewolf's lair."

"Werewolf?"

"Shhh! I'm trying to get in character here."

Sunset rolled her eyes but took another glance and questioned. "You sure this is the right place Twilight?"

"A hundred percent." She replied pulling the emergency handbrakes upward. "According to what Cadance said, Professor Cinch was transferred from Canterlot Hospital to the Silver Stable Retirement Home for her health. Apparently Crystal Prep has a very generous severance package to all its staff. It's pretty good if you ask me."

"So how are we doing this?" Rainbow Dash asked from the backseat. "Do we Pony-Up now and go bust through the walls like action heroes or do we sneak in through the back entrance like spies?"

"Actually we're just going through the front door." Sunset stated like a matter of factly.

"What? No light show? No action? Come on!" She complained from the backseat. "This is totally not making up for that adventure you two had without me. I wanna fight a giant cyclops too!"

"We're not here to start a fight Rainbow Dash. Besides, there's too much sun going around. If Cinch even tries anything, she won't be able to bring out her pets out in broad daylight. Now come on."

"Pfft… so much for action adventure."

xxxxxxxxxx

The three of them headed in finding the retirement home rather… what they expected of a retirement home. The lobby doubled as a lounge where some of the elderly residents hung around taking quick naps or reading the daily newspapers. Rainbow Dash expected something far sinister, like some of these geezers pretending to be senile and then BAM! They become deadly ninjas ambushing them like in one of those action movies.

But sadly for her, the biggest threat these geezers provided was bad breath.

"Umm… excuse me." Twilight called out.

The receptionist looked up from the book she was reading and smiled. "Yes? How may I help you?"

"Do you have a resident named Professor Cinch?"

"Cinch?" She tilted her head in thought as she repeated that name out loud. "Cinch… hmm… oh!" If this was a cartoon, a light bulb would've popped above her head. "You mean Abacus Cinch. Yes. I believe so. Normally we don't allow visitors this early but I suppose I can let you three in. She's probably at the activity lounge practicing for her play. It's the big yellow building just beyond the courtyard. You can't miss it."

And she was right on that regard. It was practically the largest structure in the entire complex towering over the whole area with its lively color. The Retirement House seemed to focus entirely on it like it was the center of attention.

This place had everything. A gym, a yoga studio, cafeteria with a large variety of food, private apartments, and even a giant swimming pool. You could want for nothing around here.

"Whoa… cool crib." Sunset waxed. "When I grow wrinkly and old like them, this is the place I'd retire to."

Twilight chuckled. "Don't get too far ahead. We still have our whole life ahead of us. I don't plan to retire until I won at least four Nobel Prizes. That or a few science grants."

"Aiming high?"

"Meh… I consider that to be above average. My high expectations would be reaching the moon as an astronaut."

"Guys! Focus!" Rainbow Dash warned them. "We're behind enemy lines here. Are you forgetting that we're about to meet with the woman who nearly sucked all our magic?"

Surprisingly enough, Sunset agreed. Cinch nearly had them back in the parking lot the other night. If she was still up to no good, they'd have to be on their guard even with the sun above them.

A few minutes later they entered the lounge finding it designed like a theater. Rows of bleachers were placed on one side facing a giant stage on the opposite end. On it were a number of costumed folks reciting lines like they were practicing an old Shakespearean play. One of them was dressed like a king while the others were peasants and knights.

"Great." Sunset whined. "How do we know which one is Cinch?"

"I guess we ask around?" Twilight shrugged as she approached the stage cautiously. "Excuse me." The costumed folks turned to them in their masks. "You wouldn't happen to know where we can find Ms. Cinch?"

"Cinch?" One of them tilted their heads. "Oh! You mean Abby. Our leading star player."

Abby? Star player?

"Wasn't she practicing her lines here a second ago?" Another peasant spoke up.

"I thought she was with Suzie." A knight added. "Said something about prepping for the roller skating derby." This went on for another minute before the trio glanced to one another and shrugged.

"Well that a big help." Sunset groaned.

"Should we try somewhere else?" Rainbow Dash suggested.

"This place is pretty huge. We'll never be able to find Cinch like this."

"Oh you don't have to look far." A voice snaked its way behind them freezing the blood in their veins. Slowly they turned their heads around to meet with the said woman, her face practically inches from them. "I have been expecting you, children. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"AHHHHHH!"

**(A few minutes later)**

"I am terribly sorry about that." Professor… no… Ms. Cinch apologized for what seemed to be the fifth or sixth time already. She was decked from head to toe like some kind of magician complete with a replica magic wand. "I was practicing my lines for the play. I didn't mean to frighten you." She poured the girls each a cup of tea and slid it across the table with a gentle wave. "Earl Grey? It's fresh."

The three of them looked at the teacups like they were poison. And maybe they were. She would take them out with an innocent drink and would eliminate them later when they're weakened.

Their hearts were beating faster and not in a good way either.

"Uh… no thank you." Twilight managed to force the words out, her face still pale from the earlier fright. One hand clutching over her geode just in case the woman tried to make any sudden moves.

"It seems like I took my role as the Wicked Witch of the Western Woods a little too seriously." The old lady chuckled, taking her witch hat off. "Maybe I should dial it down a bit."

"N… no. Not at all. I think you really nailed the part."

The woman's smile was genuine as she nodded. An appreciative glance followed afterward as she took a sip off her own cup. "So how can I help you girls? I assume you were looking for me with all that racket?"

"Wait…" Twilight blinked, her expression twisting to confusion. "You… don't recognize us?"

Abacus gently blew the steam off her cup as her expression remained unchanged. "Should I?"

Sunset's face grew curious too. She'd like to say that she can read people but this time however, her opinion varied. When she first saw Cinch back in the museum, she could tell that she was annoyed, angry or even showing hints of hatred at her. And it wasn't like she was hiding it. But now she was practically smiling like a Grandma coddling her grandchildren. There was no hint of malice or hatred at all. It was as if she was a totally different person. Either that lady really had amnesia or she was the greatest actress in all of Canterlot.

"Professor Cinch, you…"

"Please. Call me Abby." She insisted waving to some elderlies that passed by. "It's what all my friends call me here these days. Cinch sounds a bit crude for my liking." There was a humored pause in her tone. "Professor…? Hmm… now that you mention it, that young lady in the hospital called me that too. Cadim?"

"Cadance." Twilight corrected, which felt strangely odd doing so. "She's a friend."

"Right right. Cadance. Such a sweet lady, worrying about me like that. Oh!" Her eyes shot up as if she realized something. "I see now. You must be my students. Oh this explains it."

"It does?" Rainbow whispered to no one in particular.

"You… really don't remember us?" Sunset asked dipping her toe in that water.

But again Abacus shook her head disappointingly. "I'm afraid not. My memory isn't what it used to be. Then again I hardly remember anything at all since I woke up in the hospital." Wow… that really is a bad case of amnesia.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle." The girl introduced herself expecting some kind of reaction. But to her amazement all she got in return was a blank stare. "I used to be one of your students."

Again she shook her head in reply. "I'm sorry dear. I wish I could remember you but I'm afraid I'm coming up empty on my part."

"You really don't remember me?"

"No. And I feel terrible for not remembering such an adorable face." Her hand reached in to pinch Twilight's cheeks which sent chills down her spine. "Now… was there something you wanted? I take it you didn't come all the way here just to visit little old me."

There was a reason – or there used to be. They wanted to accuse her of attacking their friend as she was the only person they knew who could control shadow monsters. But looking at her now, that wicked witch they knew somehow turned into a sweet adorable granny.

"Uh… ok. I'm gonna go on a long shot here." Rainbow Dash opted looking like she was going on a Hail Mary approach. "But you wouldn't happen to know anything about shadow monsters or magical artifacts, would you?"

"Monsters and what now?" Abacus raised a brow in confusion for a brief moment until a spark came by. There was a reaction. "Oh! Are you talking about my costume?" Nope. No dice there. But it was a good effort. "It does look rather believable, doesn't it? Every seams are hand stitched. They may look real but I assure you, they're just make believe." And it really was. Even the fabric looked old and wrinkly. Rarity would certainly approve in her own way.

"Hey Abby!" A fellow elderly actor, dressed in a jester's costume, called out from the stage. "You're needed on set. We're rehearsing scene 5."

'Abby' practically beamed on the spot. "Oh! That's my cue. I'm sorry girls, but the stage awaits!"

"One last thing!" Sunset abruptly interjected raising her hand up. "It's… really nice to meet you again Ms. Cinch." The old lady returned the gesture grabbing the girl's hands gently with a nod, unaware of the power that flowed through.

It took a few seconds but by then she had gone up to the stage joining her fellow actors leaving the girls to ponder on the strangest of conversations.

"Ok. I can't be the only one creeped out by that, right?" Rainbow Dash asked, feeling the hair on her head standing on ends like pincushions.

Twilight nodded in turn. "I'm with you on that. It's strange to see Principal Cinch so… nice." She shuddered. "And I never imagined I'd get to say 'Cinch' and 'Nice' in the same sentence." Oh she was totally beyond nice. She looked like the kind of woman who would be perfect for the witch in the gingerbread house. Luring children into her sweet little home before throwing them into the oven and brewing them into a tasty stew.

"I'm still not buying this whole amnesia thing. It feels… too convenient."

"She could've easily took us out when she snuck up behind us. I don't see the point in her lying now."

"So what's the verdict Sunset?" They turned to their resident mind reader. "Did you see anything? Is she for real or is she faking it?" The redhead sat back down and looked at her hand, her powers freshly burning at the fingers.

"Sunset? You ok?"

"I'm fine. But… Cinch. She's… not." Sunset stuttered, not really sure how to put the feeling. "She definitely doesn't remember us – or anything for that matter. She doesn't even remember the fight we had in the parking lot. The Relics in the museum, the black gemstone. Nothing. It's like her mind was wiped clean. And that's not even the strangest part."

"It's not?"

"No. Because… I felt this kind of magic before." She dreaded. "It's the same one from the Memory Stone."

The artifact jogged some events in their heads. Twilight in particular remembered that relic. It was a magical item that manipulated people's memories. Wallflower Blush used it once before and nearly caused untold damage to those around her.

"But the Memory Stone was destroyed. We all saw it."

"I know. But that's all I can think of." Sunset mumbled still having difficulties believing it too. She didn't exactly have very fond memories of that artifact. "It would also explain why Cinch doesn't remember us. Someone must've used it to erase her memories."

Rainbow Dash on the other hand seemed to accept this explanation. "Well it certainly sounds more plausible than this whole amnesia thing. I knew people just don't lose their memories like that. It's like saying that whacking your head hard enough will make you forget stuff. And that only happens in cartoons."

"So what now?" Twilight inquired. "We can't exactly question her if she literally doesn't remember anything."

She was right. But that doesn't mean the threat is gone. If Cinch wasn't the perp who attacked Rarity last night, then who was? Their list of enemies was pretty long around here and Sunset wasn't keen on the idea to sit around and do nothing while someone was hunting them.

"First thing's first. We need a safe place." She suggested. "If someone is out there looking for us, we need to have a place where we can make our stand. A place where we can all gather without endangering people. A place where only the seven of us know of."

"You mean like a club house?" Rainbow Dash asked excitingly. It wasn't really what she was stating but it was close enough.

"I hate to say it, but I think you're right." Twilight sighed in distraught. "With all the magical incidents happening around us, it'll be nice to have a place where we can all feel safe. But how are we going to do that? Real-estate business isn't exactly cheap. We can't just go out there and find some property like before."

"It'll have to be somewhere where we can get to, easily." Sunset added. "Somewhere out of the city. I'll do some research and see if we can get a place for cheap. Until then we should probably keep our guard up just in case. I'm not liking this situation one bit."

"I'll text the others and tell them we're alright." But just as she picked her phone up, she fumbled when Cinch came by. "Bwah! How do you keep doing that?"

"Oh terribly sorry dear. I actually remembered something." Abacus said innocently. "Twilight Sparkle, yes?" The girl in question nodded clumsily. "I knew I saw your name somewhere before. I completely forgot about it." She pulled out a small object from her pocket, handing it over to her former student, to which she instantly recognized. "I take it this is yours?"

"My data drive!" Twilight snatched it quickly. "How did you…?"

"It was the only thing I had on me when I woke up in the hospital." The amnesiac witch explained. "Your name was signed on it so I thought of you. I tried opening it once or twice. But I cannot, for the life of me, remember the password." Yeah. Having your memories stolen can do that to you. "I do hope it helps."

Surprisingly enough, it just might.

**(CHS) (Cafeteria) (Afternoon)**

Flash grumbled lowly as he made his way through the cafeteria rubbing the back of his hand. The injury he suffered from the lightning bolt has already healed but the itch still remained for some reason. No… if he was right, the itch only got worse as time passed. It even got so bad that playing his guitar causes the wound to react. The school nurse told him it that it was most likely allergies and not an infection and gave him ointment to alleviate the itch. Still… he hoped that it was the case. The last thing he wanted was to chop his hand off because of magic.

Arriving at the cafeteria the boy spotted the members of the CIC – or at the very least half of them. As he approached, he noted something wrong in their appearance. They huddled around the table, poking boringly at their food. Normally these girls would be the most active of the bunch, Pinkie Pie especially. But now they were quieter than a graveyard, whispering to one another like they didn't want others to hear them.

"Hey guys." He called out as he approached earning some mixed looks from the gang. "What's the matter? You guys look worse for wear."

"Oh… hey Flash." Applejack greeted gesturing him to the empty chair next to her. "Yeah that's one way to say it. Though it's mostly just Rarity feeling it." The fashionista nodded back keeping her exhausted face away.

"Did something happen?"

"Rarity was attacked by shadow monsters last night." Fluttershy answered causing his eyes to bulge upward.

"What!?" He covered his mouth when they hushed him. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine darling. Nothing to be alarmed. The only thing that was damaged was my workshop. I'm unharmed… physically at least."

"Really? You don't look so good."

"It's just… exhaustion. I didn't get a wink of sleep which can't be good for my complexion. Not to mention I still have the deadline with Hoity. The stress just keeps building over. It'll take me forever to get my lineup."

"I don't get it." Flash added. "I thought the whole thing with Cinch was over."

"We thought the same thing." Applejack nodded. "But apparently this whole fiasco ain't over just yet. Either she's up to her old tricks or someone else is playing for the other team. Whichever it is, I'm not really comfortable having to fight another monster."

"Same here." Fluttershy shuddered at the thought. "Just knowing that there's someone out to get us, gives me the fright. I don't think I'll be able to sleep at all without my nightlight."

"I think sticking together is the right idea." The cowgirl agreed. "Strength in numbers is what I say. If those creepy crawlies show their faces, you'll at least have someone to watch your back. I just wish we knew what's really going on and who's attacking us. And if they're really out to get us, I'd at least like to know why."

It was clear that this recent attack against Rarity had shaken the girls to their core. They've always managed to handle whatever problem was thrown their way but this one seemed different. This wasn't just some random magic going rampant or some twisted form of monsters. Something or someone was actively targeting them and it knew exactly where they were and where they live. Who's to say that this enemy won't simply attack them in their sleep?

"So what's the plan?" Flash inquired, ready to provide whatever assistance he can.

"Not really sure." Applejack groaned. "Right now we're just waiting for Sunset and Twilight to give us the stakes. Though honestly, I'd feel a lot better if we had a place to hold up. Like… a safe space. I really don't want my farm to be a repeat of last time." Flash would've volunteered to help cover the damage but his dad wouldn't approve that kind of spending a second time. He was pretty clear that charity wasn't his thing. He wanted to help out too. But knowing Sunset, she'd probably find a way to bar his path saying that it was for his own protection or something along the line.

God, he was sick of that excuse.

…

Still… that didn't mean he couldn't help some other way.

**(Twilight's house) (Later that night)**

Twilight's computer hummed eerily that night as the girl looked to her small data drive. It was a small purple device that she used back during her time in Crystal Prep Academy. Her initials were written on top with permanent ink. It even still had that glow-in-the-dark sticker she put on a decorations that Shining Armor gave to her some time ago. This was definitely hers.

Various thoughts and scenarios ran through her head and none of them good. She was always keen on getting answers. After all, knowledge was something she coveted greatly. Whether it was good or bad, she always felt the need of acquiring the answer to everything.

But now for the first time in what felt like forever, she hesitated.

The data drive dangled between her fingers as decided on what to do with it. It contained much of her research back in when magic was new to her, but it has also been in the hands of the madwoman. And with everything that's happened, who knows what sort of devilish information she would find in there.

Finally she drew the strength from her reserve and plugged the device in. The monitor came to life with a progress bar filling slowly. She groaned loudly, slumping at her chair.

"Uh Twilight. You ok?" Her pet dog asked, worries dripping from the tone of his voice. "You've been sighing and groaning for two days straight now. Is something wrong?"

"No…" She paused on that answer. "Well yes. A little bit. I'm just worried. Everything's happening so fast nowadays, it's hard to decide what to do. This whole magic fiasco is taking a lot of my time lately. And with graduation coming next year, Timber asking me to move with him, and the search for a new apartment, I feel a bit… overwhelmed."

"Did you give him an answer? Timber I mean."

"No. I said that I'd think about it – and that I would also give him an answer by the end of the week. This is… really confusing." She slumped onto her computer groaning on her keyboard. "What do you think I should do, Spike?"

"You're asking me?" The mutt pointed to itself. "You do know you're asking a dog for love advice, right?"

"Well I've already asked my friends and they've got mixed answers. I asked my brother and he said that every relationship is unique. While I do love Timber and all, and living together would take care of the rent, not to mention the location of his apartment is ideal to my needs. I get the feeling like he's moving a little too fast. I mean this is a big decision!"

"Again… you're talking to a dog. Not really sure if animal relationships are similar."

"What if it's a mistake? What if things go south in our relationship right as we move in together? We'll be spending our time in complete misery 24/7! Can you imagine the living arrangements!?"

"My answer to every problem comes in two things: Bones and belly rubs." He paused. "And the occasional chasing of small furry creatures."

"Spike! This is serious!"

"Well what else were you expecting out of a dog?" He pointed out to which Twilight groaned and slammed her head on her keyboard. "But if you really want my honest opinion: Follow your gut. That's what I always do. And right now my gut is saying… _feed me_." Twilight rolled her eyes but complied, grabbing a quick dog treat from the cupboard and pouring it into his bowl. "Always trust your gut."

"Ugh…"

"There there. I'm sure you'll find an answer soon enough. Why don't you focus on that thing you brought from Cinch? A little research always cures your mood."

True enough the girl looked up and discovered that her computer had finished downloading all the data inside the device. The password inside was cracked easily enough. She had an app made in which to crack basic security systems.

As she suspected, all of her files from the days she spent in Crystal Prep were still there, including that wonderful extended essay which earned her an A++ on her freshman year. It was one of her greatest work.

Scrolling down the browser, she came across a few folders with names that caught her interest. And at the middle of it all was a folder on Canterlot High School. A folder which contained the names of her and her friends.


	26. End of School

**Chapter 26: End of School**

**(Thursday) (CHS)**

At long last. Thursday.

Sunset let out a stretch as she got to her locker, feeling rested and ready for the final day of the exam. She still had about 20 minutes before the bell rings so she can take her time with this hot cup of coco she got from the Sweet Shoppe and not worry about anything going wrong.

…

Ok the attack on Rarity the other day still lingered at the back of her mind but she didn't have to worry about it now. Last she heard, she and Sweetie Belle moved into Applejack's place and were quite content with the arrangements. Rarity wanted to move her whole wardrobe in but Applejack had set her a limit. At least now she'll be able to finish her line up for Hoity Toity without any interference.

"Hey Sunset." Flash called out to her just as he stuffed his books in his locker. "You got a minute? There's something I want to discuss with you."

"Absolutely." She looked at the time on her phone and cringed. "Actually… you mind if we walk and talk instead? My next exam is in 20 minutes and I want to grab the best seat before they're taken."

"Let me guess. The ones by the window?"

"Yup." She blinked. "How'd you know?"

"You said the same thing to me during our freshmen year. Something about the perfect ambience? You like to combine the cold weather, a hint of the sun and that hot cup of chocolate, which gets you a cozy morning." He grinned. "Something about having the perfect atmosphere for a big test."

"Well it takes effort to be comfortable. And when your body is comfortable, then your mind is comfortable. And when your mind is comfortable, the test becomes easy."

"Right~~." The boy uncharacteristically rolled his eye. "Anyway, I heard about what happened to Rarity." Her eyes shot up.

"Oh…" She wasn't sure why she was surprised. If anyone was gonna muddle his way into their affairs, it would only be Flash. Of course he'd know about the attack. She'd be more surprised if he didn't.

"Don't worry. I'm not poking my head into any danger." Flash added quickly knowing how she would react. "That was some pretty scary stuff. I'm glad she's alright though." Sunset can agree on that. If anything should've happened to any of her friends because of this magic, she'd flip. "Anyway, I talked with Applejack yesterday and she gave me an idea. You all need a place to lay low and feel safe, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I just so happen to…" But before he could finish, a loud screeching voice interrupted him.

"SUNSET!" Twilight bolted towards them in a speed that would've made Rainbow Dash proud. She got up face to face with her friend, dark rings surrounded her eyes while her face twitch every second.

"Twilight?" The redhead responded, startled by the girl's sudden appearance. "What happened to you? You look… messy."

"No time for that! Emergency club meeting, now!" The nerd girl didn't bother waiting for a reply as she grabbed Sunset by the arm and pulled her away making her spill her hot coco on Flash.

"Ow! Hot hot hot hot!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight barged into the band room looking like someone haunted. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were crumpled in places. She checked the room thoroughly looking like some paranoid scientist.

"Twilight, what's the matter? You look like you haven't slept at…"

"Shhh!" She hushed her best friend for a moment before locking the door behind them. "Do you want people to hear you? I know that we're not supposed to discuss about magic but this really REALLY can't wait."

"Ok ok. Take a breath." Sunset eased her. "What's so urgent that it couldn't wait till after school – or lunch for that matter?"

"I went through my old data drive. The one we got from Cinch last night. And I've uncovered something really incredible."

"More incredible than a portal that can take you anywhere you want?"

"Well… no. I mean yes. That is amazing. But this one is bigger." She took a breath. "I think we've stumbled upon something big. Like really big!" Wow… that didn't sound super ominous at all.

"What kind of something?"

"Remember how we concluded that Cinch wasn't working alone?"

"Because of her magical bracelet?"

Twilight nodded. "Yeah that. Well my research last night confirms it. Cinch was definitely working with some secret organization that studies and controls magic and not in a good way either. And from what Cinch wrote in her memoirs, the group has been around for a very long time. Their members have mastered many spells and techniques both known and lost. That's how they were able to fix my Magic Trap so easily. And from what I've gathered, they've also been hoarding magical artifacts for their own purposes."

"That… can't be good."

"No. It's incredible! Can you believe it? Actual people who actually know about magic? This is a great find! And if they've been around this long, who knows what kind of discovery they've made or what kind of breakthrough they've achieved!"

"It can't be that great if they hire people like Cinch. Do we know who they are?"

"No. But from what I know, each of them wears the signature black gemstone as proof of their membership. Think of it like a club membership ID."

Terrific. She thought that having Shadow Monsters hunting them wasn't bad enough, now they had to deal with a secret organization with advance knowledge of magic.

"I don't suppose Cinch happened to leave any trace of them in your data drive."

Sadly Twilight shook her head. "No. From what I've gathered, it seems like they're a very secretive group and they didn't exactly trust Cinch with the details. She was in charge of managing the museum. I'm more than certain that whatever they're planning involves the Chalice of Wishes and the Winter Solstice."

"And it has to take place in the new wing of the museum too." Sunset deduced knowingly. "And our only lead has a bad case of amnesia."

"Not entirely." Twilight's face brightened. "We might have one more lead that could get us closer to this organization. You remember those shadow monsters?"

"How can we forget?"

"Well I asked Rarity for the details and she told me that the ones that attacked her the other night weren't wolves… but snakes!" She paused for affect, which she didn't get. "And I dug into it. The snakes she could referring too are another of the great guardians of the Yaztec." She pulled up a photo in her phone showing an ancient hieroglyph of a hydra being worshipped by a bunch of shamans. "It's called Kaaz the Cruel. And out of all the guardians, this one is the most aggressive. It loves to torment its prey with its powers."

Sunset couldn't help but sigh. The troubles they had just keeps piling up. "Great. Secret society, shadow monsters, giant Cyclops, mystical portals to anywhere, and now a hydra that's hunting us. This is not turning out to be the Winter Holiday I've dreamed of. So what do we do?"

"We have to find out who's controlling Kaaz." Twilight said with a determined look on her face. "If Cinch was controlling Uta, there has to be someone close by who's also commanding the new batch of shadow monsters against us. I could probably trace them if they used their magic… but… my lab is out of commission." She remembered that last bit a little too late. "Ugh… stupid electric bill! The economy of this country is a joke! How is a genius with a functioning lab supposed to work at a part-time income!?"

"Easy there Twilight. It's not the end of the world."

"Hmph. Try telling that to me when the shadow monsters attack you at your own home." She paused. "I don't suppose I can transfer my lab to your place now, can I?"

"My place? HA! Please." The former unicorn waved it off jokingly. "With my paycheck? I'm barely making rent as it is with my job at the sushi store. And with the Winter Holidays coming, I have to tighten my belt just to get by. I had to stop paying for my storage-unit and cancel my subscription to the daily newspaper. I'm going as far as having microwave meals almost every day now." She then noted Twilight having a bright idea. "And no… you are not asking Flash for help either."

"But…"

"I said no!" She put her foot down on that matter. Sunset can be quite stubborn when it came to her ex-boyfriend.

"Ugh… fine." Again the nerd gal paused in thought. "Hey... how would consider the probability of me winning the lottery?"

Oh for goodness sake.

**(Cafeteria) (Afternoon)**

Rarity let out a sigh as she arrived at the cafeteria that afternoon. In a matter of hours her final exam will take place and she can finally return to her primary duties: Finishing her lineup for tomorrow's presentation for Hoity Toity's show.

Her friend, Vignette, has been keeping her up to date with the recent happenings in the amphitheater. They were setting up the stage for the performance with lights and cameras and even bringing some passerby to act as the audience. They'll be shown on live TV which meant spotlight! And with Hoity as its host, no doubt a lot of people will be tuning in. It was definitely going to be a once in a lifetime performance.

Sadly many of them had already quit leaving barely 20 of them to show.

Still… their lost and her gain. You can't afford to be soft. Not when she's close to coming to the Grand Runway!

Applejack coughed calling her attention. "Rarity. I know that you're deep in thought and all, but can you scoot?"

"Oh! Right. Sorry darling. I was just having… a little inspirational thinking." She scooted over, giving her best friend some room at the table. "I must thank you again for accommodating me and Sweetie Belle, Applejack. Your room is far more spacious than I thought. It's no double deluxe mattress but it certainly gave me the goodnight sleep I so desperately needed."

"I take it the nightlight I added did the trick?"

"Yes… that too. Though I will be planning an all-nighter tonight. I need to finish my lineup for Hoity Toity's show. The wool you provided for me was absolutely perfect."

"Heh, what better way to get wool than from the source?" She gave a pretty wink back. "And don't mention it. I know how it's like to get attacked by some monster. You can ask Big Mac. Besides, Apple Bloom seems to like it. It's nice having a friend over. She mostly talks to the animals at home."

"Speaking of animals, I'd also prefer if you didn't leave my towels to dry next to the goats…" Rarity shuddered. "They took a few nibbles off mine."

"Yeah… Max and Maxine tend to do that." AJ admitted. "They like colorful things. I'll be sure to put them back in their pens. With snow coming down, not really much reason to graze."

"And I don't suppose you can do something about the cows?"

"Hey, a cow's gotta moo. You can't stop it. But to be honest, I'm also glad that you're around. With that monster out to get us, I'm glad I got someone else watching my back."

"Well that is what friends and family are for, is it not? I'm sure Pinkie here would agree. Right Pinkie?" She paused for a moment expecting a natural answer. But Rarity soon found herself with no reply. "Pinkie?"

The two of them quickly turned to the only member of the gang who was present on the table who was too preoccupied with another matter. Twilight and Sunset were out plotting something, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were still taking their exams, Pinkie on the other hand however was so focused on that sheet of paper in front of her to even bother with them.

"Pinkie?" Applejack scooted over close enough to hear the bubblegum gal chanting some strange mantra in whisper. "Wow… she must be studying for her exams."

No… that wasn't it.

The words she was chanting didn't sound like something she had in any of her classes. Yet strangely enough they were familiar somehow. She even had a number of utensils placed in specific areas around her plate. It almost looked like a ritual of some sort. Rarity leaned in trying to make sense of it all.

Hors d'oeuvre

Foie gras

Caviar

Three spoons and forks

Raise pinkie finger when drinking

"Fine dining!"

"Mgyah!" Pinkie shrieked when Rarity suddenly burst out the words like she had the answer to the million bit question. "What? What's happening? Is lunch time over? Is the world coming to an end!? I haven't even had my last cupcake!"

"No dear. It's fine-dining." The fashionista repeated with a proud posture. "All those words you're muttering there are mostly related to fine dining. I should know. I practice them all the time."

Applejack raised a quizzical brow. "You… practice these words?"

"One must always be prepared when one might be invited to a fancy place, darling." Rarity giggled like an amused child. "But forget about me for a moment. The bigger question is, why are you rehearsing these words?"

Pinkie puckered her lips shyly. "N… no reason. They're part of my uh… test."

"You have a test in fine-dining?" Applejack gave her a look. "Really?"

"Y… yeah! It's umm… new?" Pinkie was a lot of things in this world. You could list down her traits in a roll of toilet paper in the smallest font you can find and still won't have enough space. She was a party animal, a loose cannon, a clown, a joker, someone who would fall off a cliff chasing a butterfly, but a liar was certainly not one of them. Her signs were pretty much obvious. Perhaps even too obvious. The way her eyes darted around looking for an excuse, how her hair fizzled and rattled like some living creature was burrowing inside, how her cheeks turned a shade of red as she fumbled on her words.

Yup… something was definitely up. And Rarity, being the one who pays the most attention to all the little details, can see it clearer than the stars in the night sky.

"Oh flabberbiscuit, my dear." She punctuated the word as she leaned in close to the pinkette with a sly look on her face. "You remember that this is me you're talking to. And I never miss a thing."

"What?"

"You're practicing complicated words, you have your utensils assembled in a formal position around your plate, combine that with your recent history of dining in a fancy restaurant, I deduce that you… are going on a formal dinner with your mysterious secret wealthy clientele!"

"Oh yeah." Applejack bobbed her head in realization. "We totally forgot about your secret date a few weeks back. With everything that's been going on, it must've slipped our minds."

Pinkie groaned. She should've known that Rarity would figure her out. Maybe she should've practiced her thing in a private table instead of here.

"Ugh… fine. You got me." She dropped her hands in defeat. "My parents are having dinner with their business partner tomorrow at their place and they're bringing me along to meet with his… son."

Rarity's face went all giddy, blowing the bad stench in the air with a clap of her hands. "Ooooh hooo~~! Meeting with the parents? Already? How very exciting. Normally you don't get to meet the parents until after the fifth or sixth date. But the rich don't exactly play by the rules. Oh just thinking about it got me all curious."

"I'm more curious about this guy they're pushing you to." AJ added pointing out to the juiciest detail. "Other than the fact that he's rich, we know next to nothing about him. What's he like – or better yet – who is he? I thought you said you weren't interested."

"I'm not!" Pinkie insisted. "It's just that my parents are really close friends with this guy and they want to bring me along because it's proper manners. I keep telling them that they could bring my other sisters along, but nope. It has to be me for some reason."

That really wasn't much of an argument. After all, comparing Pinkie to her other three sisters was like comparing juicy apples to stale ones. Maud was stoic like her parents, you can hardly get a word out of Marble, and Limestone has… a fairly… aggressive personality. You couldn't picture any of them to be presented to another in a courting session. Not like the one Pinkie was going to. Trying to talk to them was like talking to a brick wall, though you could probably get a livelier conversation with the wall than the sisters. At least with Pinkie, she can chat, laugh and give a fair compliment every now and then.

"I'm sure your parents are just looking out for you." Rarity bobbed her head. "He must be quite the charming fellow if he got their approval. But I would like to know a little bit more about him."

"So when can we finally meet the guy?" The cowgirl asked, which only prompted to annoy Pinkie even further. "You can't keep him a secret forever."

But then Pinkie grinned mischievously as she thought of a good counterattack. "Alright Applejack. I'll be willing to tell you who it is… if you tell me who your secret crush is!"

"What?" Rarity gasped as she turned her attention to her best friend. "A crush?"

"Pinkie!"

"What's this about a crush now? This is the first I've heard of it!"

"Oh yeah. It's Applejack's first ever crush." Pinkie continued earning a mean glare from the cowgirl. "She made a very special pie for him during the concert."

"Really?" The fashionista's attention drew to her countrygal pal. "Why Applejack, I'd never thought I'd see the day. Why in heaven's name didn't you say anything?"

"I…" The cowgirl tilted her hat down to hide her cheeks. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Oh poppydash! You don't keep secrets from your best friend now, darling. That's the kind of juicy tidbit I have been waiting for! Honestly now, I will admit that our group has been rather dry when it comes to interpersonal relationships. The closest thing we've ever had to a girl-talk is with Twilight and Timber. And we all know where that's going."

We do?

"We do?" Pinkie questioned.

"Of course! Naturally Twilight and Timber will move in together. And afterward that boy will propose on one knee, they'll get married, go off into their honeymoon in Cloudsdale and then have two kids named Gemstone and Silky Smooth who will call me Auntie Rare!"

"Uh… Rarity. I think you're going a little far too ahead."

"Sh shhhh!" She hushed them. "You either let me have this moment or I pester the two of you about your secrets." That was a good point. "Goodness. Two of my friends having love interests. And here I thought this holiday will just be the more of the same. Hoo hoo! I'm so glad I was wrong!"

Oh Rarity. If only you knew.

**(Hallway) (Later)**

The nightmare was at an end. The last school bell heralded the end of days and freedom from the confines of this wretched place.

Students poured out of the classroom, half of them fell on their knees and raised their hands up to the ceiling as if they had finally found religion, thanking whatever god that the nightmare was over. The other half fell to the floor, chanting words of misery as they knew that their final scores weren't going to be as stellar as they hoped. Some were probably preparing to take makeup tests later on. A continuation of the nightmare that haunted the students here.

Fluttershy walked out first breathing a sigh of relief. She didn't consider herself a bright student but she believed that she did well enough to get by. Her parents should be satisfied with the results at least. And to think that she did it without the help of her animal friends.

She let out a cheerful breath expecting her loud mouth friend to follow suit. But to her surprise she found the hallway quieter than usual. She quickly turned over to Rainbow Dash, who was the last to leave the classroom. The sports gal looked like she was down in the dumps dragging her feet and kicking the air. Her eyes were droopy and she lacked the usual spirit that she always had in abundance. Heck, she looked kind of… stale to be honest.

"Uh… Rainbow Dash? Are you ok?" Fluttershy asked worryingly. "That was the last exam. I thought you'd be more… excited.

"Huh? Oh… yeah. End of school… no more lessons, no more classes. Woohoo~." Her woohoo didn't exactly feel like a woohoo. It sounded more like a boohoo.

"Oh dear. Did you not do well in the test? Do you think you fail?"

"What? No… not that. I did fine. Physics isn't exactly the hardest subject." She waved it off. It was simple really. Things go up, things go down.

"Oh… then… why aren't you more… you know… cheerful?" Fluttershy probably expected the girl to be sliding on the floor, strumming an air-guitar on a reverse Pete Townshend by now while shouting something akin to 'Freedom' at the top of her lungs. "Is something wrong with Tank? Are you feeling sick? Did my brother try to ask you out again?"

"No. Nothing like that." Rainbow Dash groaned. Though having Zephyr asking her out for the party next week would really dampen her mood too. "It's… something else. Listen, I gotta get home and set up decorations with my folks. But we should definitely get together this weekend for an outing. Later." Without even waiting for an answer she bolted off using her super speed.

"Ah! Rainbow Dash! You know we're not supposed to use our powers to…"

She didn't even have to finish her sentence when the speedster crashed onto someone a millisecond later, hitting the floor in a spectacular wipeout fashion.

"Ow… what hit me?"

"I think that's my line." Flash scoffed as he got back up, rubbing his shoulder, feeling the high velocity impact on him. "I thought you girls weren't supposed to use magic in school. Do you want Principal Celestia to lecture you again?"

"Technically school's out for Winter Break." Rainbow Dash reasoned, which she made a valid point. "The last bell signaled it. So technically I'm not breaking the rules."

"Sure." The boy rolled his eyes. Of course she would have an excuse. "Anyway I'm glad I caught up to you. You ready to go?"

"Go?" She tilted her head sideway, puzzled. "Go where?"

"For our rehearsal?" The boy explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "For the Winter Holiday party next week? Remember? I sent you a text yesterday."

Ah… yeah. Dang it. She really needs to start reading her text.

"Right~. Our… rehearsal." She rubbed the back of her head embarrassingly. "Sure… I guess I can stay for a bit. But I can't be out long. I got stuff to do at home."

"Hey no biggie. We just need you to get acquainted with our songs. It shouldn't be too hard for someone of your skillset."

"Oooh! Are you two playing together?" Fluttershy asked with an intrigued tone. "I didn't know you were going to play with them Rainbow. When did this happen?"

"A few days ago." Flash answered smugly for her. "She lost a shredding match to me so she'll be playing as my backup."

"I didn't lose squat!" Rainbow protested. "It was a draw! I submitted out of my own free will."

"Sure you did." He chuckled. "Come on. We only got the band room booked for a few hours."

"Can I come?" Fluttershy raised her hand up like she was asking her teacher permission. "I've… never seen your band practiced before."

He shrugged. "Sure. But I gotta warn you. Our practice sessions can get pretty intense."

"Oh pa-lease." Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out in disgust. "You should see our jam sessions. We bring down the roof every time we play."

"And she means that literally." Fluttershy added much to the boy's surprise. "Last time we played at my family's garage she really brought the roof down on us. It took us a while to clean up." Flash wasn't sure if that was crazy… or crazy scary. He would've loved to see it though – from a good distance, and probably behind a 10 feet magic proof wall.

"Ah huh…"

xxxxxxxxxx

"So here we are." Flash declared as they walked in at the band room to find his team prepping their instruments. "Ladies. Allow me to introduce to you, the Flash Drive. You remember Drum Roll and Bass Keys." The two respective gentlemen nodded back. "And of course we have our newest member, Sandalwood."

"Sup…" The eco-keyboardist gave them a peace sign.

"Guys. You all know Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy." One of them waved and the other folded her arms together. "Like I promised, Rainbow Dash here will be playing as our backup. So I want her acquainted with all our songs."

"Even Love in a Flash?"

He gave his drummer the smoking gun gesture. "Especially Love in a Flash. It's a fan favorite."

"You mean _your_ favorite."

"Anyway~~ the party's on Wednesday so we gotta practice. Everyone in school will be there. Not to mention it'll be our last semester in CHS next year. We gotta leave a good impression. Our big performance in the park also got us a lot of viewers. So let's ride this popularity wave till we hit the shores. Bass, you got your strings fixed?"

"Way ahead of ya." The bass player nodded.

"Drum Roll, you got those extra sticks?"

"Every self-respecting drummer always carry a few extra pairs."

"And Sandalwood, you got your stomach medicine? You don't want to be trapped in the bathroom for the next three hours."

"Dude! Not cool man. It happened like… one time." The gang chuckled at the hippie's expense.

"Twice, actually. Remember that gig at Micro Chip's place?" Flash leaned in to whisper to the girls. "Sandalwood's stomach gets upset when he goes on stage. Apparently he gets nervous when he faces a big crowd." Fluttershy giggled at the notion but understood the feeling of stage fright. "Anyway. Let's take it from the top. Rainbow Dash, you'll be playing next to me. Think you can keep up?"

"Pffft. Please. You were lucky the first time. With my talent, I might just outdo you."

"We'll see about that." He took his place at the center of the group before pulling his guitar out. "Oh… and before we play. You gotta wear this." He pulled out a leather jacket from the nearby locker. "Every member of my band has to wear matching jacket. Normally we just wear anything that suits us, but ever since our big performance at the park, Drum Roll here has been pestering that we have matching outfits."

Bass Keys nodded in agreement. "It's standard procedure. A band this big should have its own identity."

"Oh… terrific." Rainbow Dash looked at the thing hiding her disgust. She wasn't really much of a leather girl. But upon closer inspection, it didn't exactly look that bad. The leather felt nice to the touch despite its darker color. It was slippery yet tough at the same time. The Flash Drive insignia was printed brightly on the back, and the sleeves were long enough to reach her wrist keeping her warm in this cool weather. "Whoa…"

"I know, right?"

She quickly hid her amazed her expression. "I mean… sure. Yeah. I guess it's cool." Aww… she looks so cute when she's hiding her real self. "I still like my outfit better."

"Meh. I'm sure it'll grow on you."

"Don't keep your hopes up." She scoffed back before suddenly finding the jacket to be perfectly fit for her body. "How'd you know my size?"

Flash grinned. "Oh… I have my ways." The girl stepped back, appalled. "Kidding! I'm kidding. Rarity told me. She keeps all your measurements." Ah. That made more sense. For a moment there she was thinking of the worst. "Ok. Why don't you sit with Fluttershy first? Listen to some of our songs and see what you can do."

Rainbow shrugged but didn't complain. As egotistical as she was, she was too proud to back down on her word. A bet was a bet. And she'd pay it even if she hated it.

She looked at each of the band members noting their procedures. Judging by the way they handled their equipment they seemed to know what they're doing. Unlike the Rainbooms, these guys looked… like pros. Not surprising seeing as they've been a band long before they came along. In fact, she would even say that they were more famous than they were. But never out loud of course

Drum Roll reached for the dimmer switch to set the mood for the room.

The whole place went quiet for a moment. With the rhythm of the music the Flash Drive played.

And like always, Flash took the lead. His voice echoed beautifully just like it did during his concert. His bandmates followed suit playing each of their instruments coolly performing with little trouble. All of them worked in perfect synch like they've been doing this for years. It was… pretty good actually.

Rainbow Dash never really paid much attention to Flash's songs. Not even during the Battle of the Bands, they were too busy dealing with the Sirens to notice. She might've listened to one or two but this is the first time she actually heard the words loud and clear. The rhythm and the beats were nice. Not too fast and not too slow. The lyrics were definitely catchy. Each word holding a deeper meaning. Contradictory to hers, naturally, but it was pleasant to listen to. Heck even Fluttershy seemed to be caught up in the music that she didn't even notice herself bobbing her head like a rocker to one of their upbeat songs.

It took about 20 minutes for them to finish through their list.

"So whadya think?" Their lead singer ask, brushing a sweat off his brow, to which Fluttershy responded with a genuine applause.

"That was amazing! Bravo! Bravo!" The Flash Drive took a complimentary bow while Drum Roll blushed shyly. "Your songs are very emotional. It has my seal of approval."

"That makes one of you." He eyed Rainbow Dash expecting a snippy reply.

"Pfft… it was ok, I guess." Aww… she looks cute when she pouts.

"That last one was based off another band." Drum Roll explained. "It's a little out there but we got our inspiration from..."

"Skull Cruncher!" Fluttershy stated much to their surprise. "Your drumming was very similar to their style."

Flash gawked. "You know Skull Cruncher?"

"Oh... a little bit." She lied.

"Enough talk." Rainbow Dash bellowed, casually grabbing her guitar and joining the boys on the platform. "I think I got the gist of your songs. Now let me show you how a real rocker does it."

**(Applejack's house) (Night)**

"There. Done at last." Rarity gave a proud declaration, wiping the sweat off her brow as she added the final touch to her lineup. With a little bit of elbow grease, imagination and determination, she was able to finish the last of her costumes. Just like the one that Hoity Toity praised for, all of her designs were based on Yaztec culture. Feathers, reeds and all the fabric you can get out of the forest. "I must say I've really outdone myself. The feathers were definitely a fine touch. It brings out the beauty of the linen."

"If you say so." Applejack commented from her bed, tilting her head sideway trying to make sense of the dresses. "You probably know more about the fashion world than I do. The best I can give is: That they either look good… or not. And these outfits… are definitely good."

"Thank you darling. I'm just glad I was able to finish on time. I'm cutting it rather close to the deadline here. Hopefully I'll be able to get them all to the amphitheater tomorrow." She put her needles down and took a seat by her friend, admiring her handiwork from a good distance. "Thank you again for letting me do my work in your room. Without my usual workspace back home, I never would've thought that I could finish these at all."

"Oh don't sweat it. I wouldn't leave my best friend high and dry on her big day." And it helped when she had an ample supply of wool and feathers around here to work with.

Rarity nodded in gratitude. "I just really need to get my mind off that dreadful night. A good distraction would be welcoming at this point now that my work is complete. Not to mention that the night is still young. We could do something here before bed."

"Well I do have a few board games that I used to play when I was a kid." AJ ruffled the bottom of her bed pulling out some dusty games. "Maybe we could go for a round of Catch the Fox or First to the Tower. They're my favorites back when I was still a kid."

"Thank you darling but games like these aren't my cup of tea."

"Don't throw it till you try it." AJ insisted. "Come on. I'll even let you pick the game."

But the fashionista's smile grew wicked in nature. "Actually… since you're offering. I was hoping we could just… talk. More specifically we could talk about your first ever crush." Applejack's face froze.

"I uh…"

"Come now. You did say I get to pick. And I pick, girl talk."

"Do we have to?"

"Of course!" Rarity exclaimed proudly as she laid on the bed, cupping her head in her hand while her legs swung back and forth. "Applejack dear. This is your first ever crush. Your heart must be going through a torrent of emotions right. You mustn't hide such a beautiful feeling all to yourself, especially to your best friend. Why if I were in your shoes I'd be telling everyone about it!"

"You mean like that thing you had with that Ragamuffin fella?"

Oh snap.

Wow… Rarity completely forgot about that charming sailor.

"Oh that was just a fling, darling. Totally different." Uh huh… sure. No one believed that. "Besides, he wasn't exactly what I thought he was with that fake accent of his. But that's beside the point. The point is, you need someone to talk to when it comes to relationships."

"You're just itching for a juicy gossip."

"I cannot deny that." The fashionista admitted. "But this is your first ever crush. As your best friend, it is my solemn duty to hear your heart out. I want to be a part of this special moment and wouldn't dare miss it for the world." Oh god… her eyes were glittering. She was doing the glitter puppy dog eyes! She must look away before it infects her.

The cowgirl sighed to herself. It was hard to argue with that reason. And to be completely honest: She did want to talk about it with her friends. If only there weren't so confusing.

"Alright alright." She surrendered to the puppy stare. "I'll tell you. But under the condition you don't tell anyone else."

"And why not?"

"It's… complicated." Far more complicated than you know. "I want to keep this between you and me. For now at least. Until I can figure out how to tell the others. I don't want this spreading. Not yet at least."

"Hmm…" Rarity puckered her lips in thought. "While I do despise keeping this from our friends, I do enjoy holding exclusivity on this information. Very well. I promise. So spill, girl. Who is this mysterious gentleman who managed to grip your heart?"

Applejack breathed a sigh.

And her answer came.

**A/N: Hello folks. Hope you're all having a good week despite the health problems going around. So why bother going out when you can just sit back relax and read this fix I got for ya? Anyway, this week will be a double chapter whammie so expect another chapter tomorrow around the same time.**


	27. Consultation Recreation

**Chapter 27: Consultation Recreation**

**(Friday) (Afternoon) (Canterlot Mall)**

Twilight stretched out her arms when she finally got out of the electronic store. Her morning shift was over and she got her paycheck. It wasn't much but it was a start to pay her parents back for all the electric expenditure she accumulated. She wasn't worried though. By the time she graduates from Everton Academy and win her first Nobel Prize, she'll be paying it back with interest.

It stinks that her folks had to cut her lab off from the electrical grid, but she also understood why they did it. There was simply no way that they could sustain it. Not with their salary at least. So it'll be up to her if she wants to reach the pinnacle of magic research.

But before she can even get there, she'll need to resolve a couple of hurdles first. Like her love life.

She looked to her phone and noted the five miss calls on screen. No doubt Timber was on the other line eagerly awaiting her answer to his question. Twilight had been ducking his calls ever since her work at the store hoping to buy herself enough time to figure things out.

Twilight considered herself to be a smart lass. Smarter than your average Joe anyway. But when it comes to love or relationships, she was dumber than a donkey. She simply had no reference to go on with this problem.

"Twilight?" Her train of thoughts was interrupted when she heard a familiar voice coming from a nearby boutique.

"Rarity? Applejack?" She blinked at the pair. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Hoity Toity's pageant right about now?"

"Oh I do darling. But the show is still in the evening. Applejack here will be driving me there and provide morale support. I just came to get my things from Ms. Hemline's boutique as I have officially resigned myself from her service."

"Resigned? Fully?" Twilight gasped. "You mean you aren't working here anymore?"

"That's what I said darling."

She cocked a brow. "Isn't that rushing it a bit?"

"That's what I said." AJ added in agreement. "But Rarity here thought that she needed to complete her transition or something."

"Of course! An aspiring artist like myself cannot be static forever. I need to move on, evolve, like a living organism." Rarity put up her dramatic hand gestures once more. "While I do enjoy my time with Ms. Hemline, clinging to her like this will only make me stale. I must move on to greener pastures, advance my imagination and knowledge of fashion. Until I stand alone at the top! Besides, with my publicity going around, I may have just enough to even start my own boutique. It will be… amazing! My victory alone at the pageant show tonight will solidify my position!"

"Well someone's confident." Twilight chuckled. "Sorry I can't support you directly. My family's celebrating the Winter Holiday with a big dinner tonight, and Shining Armor's bringing Cadance along."

"Oooh~ the former Principal?" Applejack whistled coolly earning a giggle from her friends. "Must be nice having friends at the top."

"Speaking of friends." Rarity's mood darkened a bit. "I don't suppose you've had any luck finding out about… our shadowy suspect."

Sadly Twilight did not. "No. Without my lab or any of my equipment, progress is slow. All we know so far is that whoever is controlling the new batch of shadow monsters has the same black gemstone that Cinch used."

"So just about anyone." The cowgirl groaned lowly.

"Sorry. Can you stay with Applejack for a few more days? Just to play it safe?"

"Of course she can. No way I'm letting some monster get the drop on her. Rarity's safe as long as I'm around. Besides… it's nice to have someone to talk to at night. It's like Pinkie said. It's a never ending sleepover party. Who knew a little girl talk can be so much fun?" She added that last bit bashfully which did not escape Twilight's notice.

"Oooh… girl talk? Sounds interesting. Anything I should know?"

Rarity zipped her lips in reply. "I'm sorry darling. But that is a piece of juicy tidbit between me and Applejack. You'll have to subscribe to our sleepover party if you want the whole scoop."

That was a tempting offer. Twilight did enjoy many of their sleepovers and late night study sessions, but they were few and far between. Even less so now with trouble brewing just around the corner. God. She wished that they didn't have to deal with this secret organization.

"I might just take that offer once this whole magic escapade is over."

"One can only hope." Rarity nodded in agreement. "And what of you, darling?" She turned the question around. "Any plans after this or are you going straight home?"

"Straight home." She shrugged. "But after I make one quick stop. I'll catch you on TV?"

"I'll be sure to have all cameras on me!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight quickly parted ways with her friends and made dashed to the comic store at the far end of the mall. She remembered it well seeing as she came here so many times with her brother when she was little. Shining Armor loved to browse the area, glancing at his favorite comics, thinking of saving just enough money to buy them. He also loved the smell of oil, ink and the mint freshener that kept the store in a below average temperature. It was practically his old haunting grounds. But ever since he graduated from Crystal Prep and had Cadance move in with him, he's been visiting this place less and less. It was a loss of a regular customer.

And thus Twilight came up with the perfect gift for her brother for the Winter Holiday.

"Hello there good sir." She gestured to the part-time worker by the cashiers who seemed to be engaged in a comic himself sipping on a drink.

He looked up, at her toothy smile before putting his piece of literature away. "Cavn I helzp yuz Misssh?" The boy slurred through his braces

"I would like a copy of the Space Cavalry Warriors issue #133, mint-condition. Please." It was Shining's favorite comic. He practically had every issue collecting dust somewhere. Heck, a few dozen of them were still lingering in his old room.

"Oh sawwry miss." He apologized sarcastically. "Buts dat issuze's sold outz. Wez gav zhe last coppee hourz avo."

"WHAT?! But that issue should've just came in yesterday! How did it all disappear so fast?"

"Two wordz: Pre-Orderz fft." He smiled cheerfully, while Twilight resisted the urge to correct his error. "Itz berry popular adround here."

"I know. That's why I want to buy one!" The girl grumbled lowly to herself. So much for completing Shining's comic set. "Do you have one that's not in near-mint condition?"

"Nope."

"A plain condition?"

"Nope."

"A semi-plain condition?

"E…nope."

She snapped. "What are you, Big Mac 2.0!?" A chuckle from behind grabbed her attention away from the frightened worker.

"Don't be angry at him. It's not his fault that all the copies are gone. When a comic is that popular, you won't find many of them on opening week." The boy walked up next to her flashing his good old smile that would've melted the heart of her Equestrian counterpart.

"Flash? You're… here?"

"As a dedicated fan to a number of comics myself, I do come here often." He winked at her before handing the cashier some cash which prompted the worker to produce several volumes of the comics all neatly wrapped on the table. "Though I never took you as a fan."

"I'm not. The only books I'm interested in are those with educational values, not colorful fantasy pictures." If a book couldn't advance her academic goals, why be printed at all? "I came to get a gift for Shining Armor. For the Winter Holiday. I was supposed to get his favorite comic but they're out. It's ridiculous. There's a limit to how popular a thing can get."

Flash placed a hand on his chin as he thought. "Hmm… get him… Tunnel Cats."

Twilight's head tilted. "You mean that comic about mutated cats living in the sewers, fighting crime? Doesn't sound that remarkable."

"Any self-respecting fan of Space Cavalry Warriors would definitely love it. It's got the same vibe even when it's not in space. Trust me. Take a leap of faith." He gestured to the cashier who quickly went out of his way to search for the said comic. "Speaking of comics. I don't suppose you girls are in for another adventure soon. The last one in the cave was a while ago."

She looked back at the boy, surprised. "You know about that?"

"Sunset told me." He smugly answered, which she eyed him, not believing that for a second. "Ok I tricked her into telling me. It wasn't really that hard. But seriously. A magic trap and a giant monster all inside one cave? That's like a standard level 4 adventure for you girls. I'm kinda surprised no one's made a movie out of your adventures yet. Daring Do would be put to shame compared to you guys."

"Don't let Rainbow Dash hear you say that or she'll talk your ear off."

"I'm just saying that the adventures you girls go through will make one heck of a TV series. You would all be the heroes facing off evil monsters and rogue magic while you have me as your trusty sidekick/love interest."

Twilight curled an amused brow. "Love interest? Really?"

"Well yeah. There'd be plenty of people who'd have their own ships on it."

"Ships?" That brow rose upward.

"You know? The thing where people put two or more p…"

"I know what shipping is." She smugly interrupted. "I've watched enough shows to have my dreams dashed so many times. But I just can't help but notice that you happen to be shipping yourself with a certain… redhead in our group."

His face turned a shade redder than normal. "What~~? No~. I would… never… really…" Oh yeah. He definitely still had some lingering feelings for Sunset. "Ok you got me. What gave me away?"

"The fact that you throw yourself in harm's way for us." Twilight leaned on him, elbowing his side like a sibling who knew too much. "I mean who else do you know who would willingly go into a firefight between magical superpowers for complete strangers?" He blushed slightly at that. "So~~ you're still holding a torch for Sunset, eh? Or should I say that it never went out."

"Well it did help when she turned over a new leaf. In fact… this new her, reminds me of the old Sunset too."

"The big meanie Sunset?"

"No. Way before that." He corrected offering with an amused laugh. "When I first met Sunset, she was kind of like… Twilight. The other Twilight. Everything seemed new and mysterious to her. Kind of like a lost puppy but also very curious about… everything." His eyes grew foggy as if reminiscing of a distant memory. "I think that's what drew me to her in the first place."

"So it wasn't love at first sight?"

"Heh. No. But close. Did she ever tell you how we got together?"

She shrugged though deep down she felt intrigued. "Sunset doesn't really talk much about her past." Almost never actually. A lot of bad memories linger there. Something she doesn't want to visit. "She's more of a 'Now' kind of person."

"That makes sense. But it wasn't all bad. She was actually kind of nice before she got all power hungry. In fact… she and I found Bananas together." The dog? They actually found that adorable little thing. "It was on our way back from the movies. She found it at an alley hiding in a cardboard box. We wanted to keep it together but she wasn't really that into animals... or responsibilities yet. So she asked me to hold onto it. She was so kind and sweet that I couldn't stop myself for falling for her. That's when I asked her to go out with me."

"Aww… that actually sounds really sweet." Twilight cooed, her mind already taking mental notes to tease her best friend about Bananas on a later date. But then a thought came to mind. "Hey Flash. You're a guy, right?"

The question made him stare at her like she had gone mad. "Uh… yeah. Thanks for noticing."

She face palmed herself. "No. Not like that. I mean… you used to date Sunset, right?"

"That's kind of what I've been saying these last few minutes." He shrugged. "Why?"

"Did you two… ever had a serious talk? Like a grownup kind of talk."

"I don't really understand the question. Sunset and I only dated for about a semester. The only serious talk we've ever had was when we broke up." That sounds about right.

Twilight's face shied away as she tried to form the question. It was hard talking to other people about these things. "If you and I were dating…" Both of them froze as several eavesdropping heads turned in their direction. "No wait. That came out wrong."

"Easy there Twilight." He reached out for her shoulder, giving her a reassuring pat. "What's this really about?"

Again she sighed. She's been doing that a lot lately, especially when it came to this topic. She was about to explain but closed her mouth when she noted everyone in the store staring at them, especially the cashier who had returned some time ago, sipping his drink, intrigued by their conversation.

xxxxxxxxxx

"So Timber asked you to move in with him?" Flash sounded surprised after he listened intently to Twilight's story. They left the comic store not long afterward and claimed a bench by the fountain, the girl buying him a drink as compensation for listening to her woes. "That's…awesome!"

"No… not awesome." Twilight corrected him with an irritated tone. "It was totally unexpected. You can't just drop that kind of pressure on someone without some kind of warning. How can I make a sound decision just like that?"

"Well, what did you tell him?"

"I told him I'd think about it." Ugh… it feels like she's been saying that about a dozen times over now.

"Why don't you ask your friends?"

"Already did that. And the vote is split. Half of them says I should go for it and the other half says I should say no. At least… until I'm ready. So right now I have until the end of the week to give him an answer." She traced her hands down her cheeks dragging her eyes downward. "I've been piling over all the pros and cons and I still can't make a decision. I can solve a scientific problem within 2 minutes flat. But this? This is just too hard."

Flash nodded back in understanding. "I think I understand what you're going through. That kind of decision is a big deal. One wrong move and your whole future plans might derail."

"Right!?" Yes. Finally, someone who gets it.

"But on a personal opinion, I think you should go for it."

Twilight slammed a hand over her chest as she choked on her drink. "WHAT!? Are you crazy!?"

"Wait. Hear me out for a second here." He raised his hand up like a shield. "I know that this might be a big decision and it can also be very scary. But try to see it from Timber's point of view." Oh… that was a new one. "You find this whole change to be scary, right? Well… how do you think he's taking it? If I was in his shoes, I'd be freaking out just like you."

"You have a 3 storied mansion."

He bobbed his head giving point to her. "True. But I'd also be scared. I mean this is also going to be a big change in my life. Asking the girl I love to move in with me?" Flash gave her a smile. "It takes a lot of courage to ask that. And I wouldn't do it unless I was absolutely sure she was the one. I'm sure Timber's thinking of the same thing too."

That… was actually a good point. Twilight considered herself a girl who can be calm in tough situations – with a few exceptions of course. And if she was getting this worked up with this, she can't even begin to imagine what Timber was going through. The guy must've worked through hundreds of simulations to think that this would be a good idea. Heck, the nerves he gathered alone must've been immense. It takes guts to actually pop that question.

"Wow… I never thought of it that way. He must be facing a crisis too, having me invade his personal space like that."

"Exactly. Besides, I think your reaction is pretty normal." Flash nodded back taking another sip from his drink. "Consider you and me dating. Hypothetically." He waved his hand again exaggerating that last word. "If I asked you to move in with me, would you say yes?"

"Yes."

He blinked. "What?"

"What? I mean no." Whoa, that was weird. Why'd she say that all of a sudden? "But then again, you do have a three storied house, a garage full of cars, and a large indoor swimming pool and as Fluttershy would say: An AVIARY!"

"Right~~. So… anyway. What I'm saying is: Timber got the courage to ask you to truly be a part of his life. And I think you should give it a shot. Take a leap of faith."

"Easy for you to say when you're not the one making a big decision that'll change your life forever."

"True. But like I said… give it a shot. I think you both deserve a chance of trying new things." He laid on hand over her head looking like a big brother giving sagely advice. "And besides, it's bound to happen sooner or later."

Twilight blushed back, feeling the warmth of his hand on her hair. It felt… good somehow. But the moment passed when his phone rang up forcing him to retract his hand. He answered it, rolling his eyes and groaning.

"I gotta head home. My dad's calling me. You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah… definitely. You've… given me a lot to think about." With a shy wave she watched as the boy disappear into the crowd leaving her alone to ponder on her thoughts. Though honestly there really wasn't much to think about. Flash had shattered her reasoning and gave her no excuse. She had her answer. Delaying it now would only make things more awkward. Quietly she reached out for her phoned, sighing lowly at the number on screen. It rang a few times before the other line answered back with a chippy tone.

_"Hello there, beautiful."_

"Hey… Timber. You got a minute?"

_"For you? I got all the time in the world."_

**(Midtown apartment)**

It was a moment of rare serenity at Sirens' apartment. Something Adagio was more than happy to have and savored every second of it like it was her favorite drink. She sat by the TV, munching some leftover treats from the fridge while enjoying a bit of entertainment in the dumb electronic picture box. Sonata was taking her afternoon nap after stuffing her stomach full of snacks. As for Aria, she was busy reading some of that teen magazine, chuckling at the tidbit and juicy gossips, sometimes filling out the questionnaires inside. Like any of that would actually mean anything in real life.

But she didn't mind it. So long as they were quiet, they could be quietly killing each other for all she cared.

Her favorite show was on. She didn't quite understand the name but it was something akin to barbaric torture in the most deliciously painful way. Three teams would compete in this show standing upon separate raised platforms above ice cold water, all answering a series of general knowledge questions asked by the host of the show. Every correct answer would net them money depending on the difficulty of the question, while an incorrect answer would take away a portion of their winnings. Three wrong answers would then take out a piece of their platform making the team huddle together cramped like an island getting smaller and smaller. The misery and disdain they expressed there was entertaining to say the least.

After one too many mistakes are made and money lost, the team's cohesion would break down like a house of cards. They'd begin to ire one another, accuse one another for stupidity for the smallest margins of error. And the situation will reach a boiling point when the group of people who hate each other will have to share space at a platform that was getting smaller and smaller by the minute. Her favorite part is when the argument reaches its peak and the group would willingly push one of their own out just to get some 'breathing' room.

All in all, it was hilarious. Their disdain was enough to make the siren crack a smile… maybe even a chuckle if they were malicious enough.

But just as the mood was getting good, and the questions getting harder, her enjoyment came to an abrupt end when their sixth senses kicked in. Adagio's magical abilities tickled as she felt it moving just outside the window.

At first she thought it was another one of those shadow monsters. They felt similar in nature but this one slithered around, keeping itself hidden just enough to barely be felt. She readied herself for an assault but quickly dropped her battle stance when she realized that they weren't coming for them.

"You felt it too?" Aria asked as she encroached on the window, eyeing the folks below. "You think it's those shadow wolves again?"

"Maybe…" Her leader answered, taking a quick glance outside only to shut the blinds. "But this one feels a tad different. And it doesn't look like they're here for us."

"I'll keep the nightlight on, just in case." They both agreed on that part. "Should we tell those CHS girls?"

"We don't owe those girls anything for all I care. Besides... I get the feeling they already know." She groaned annoyingly. "We should consider forming a defensive spell around the building too as a first line countermeasure."

"I'll do it." Aria volunteered stopping her leader from going at it. "Unlike you and Sonata, I still have most of my powers intact."

"I'm fine."

"And I still beg to differ."

"I said I'm fine!"

Her raised tone was enough to raise Sonata from her sleep. "Wha? What's going on? Whaz… *yawn* happening?"

"It's just the wind." Aria reassured her little friend. The last thing she needed to know was that another monster was lurking outside of their apartment. "Go back to sleep Sonata."

"Way~ ahead of you. Zzzzzz…" She conked back down a second later, snoozing all the way to dreamville.

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

Applejack parked her old timey truck near the store breathing a sigh of relief that they were able to avoid the Friday traffic. The boutique itself was surrounded by a crowd of would-be audience and camera crew, all prepping for the big show later tonight. It shouldn't be a surprise seeing as one of the leading legend was spearheading this show on his own. A big name like Hoity was bound to draw a massive crowd no matter where he went.

"Here we are." She announced to her resident fashionista who peppered herself with makeup. "You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Rarity replied holding as much confidence as she could in her tone. "Thank you again for coming to support me on this. I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have you."

"Aww shucks. Don't mention it. It's the least I can do for ya after you had me talk your ear off last night about my little problem."

"Your Flash problem?" A grin showed itself on her seductive lips. "Don't worry dear. I have no intentions of telling anyone. Though I admit it was quite a shocked. Of all the people to crush on, it had to be him. I know I joked about you two getting together before, but imagine my surprise when it actually came true."

"It ain't a done deal yet." Applejack retorted. "We aren't exactly an item."

"Not with that attitude darling." She let out a teasing chuckle. "Ah… this is just the kind of gossip my boring life needs. A little spice for this bland existence. Tell me darling. What are your plans to… ahem… woo him to your side?"

"Honestly? I'm not even sure. I was gonna invite him to lunch and see where we go from there."

"And you expect him to ask you out just like that?"

"Isn't that how things work?"

Rarity cupped her head in distraught. "Oh Applejack. Dear dear Applejack. You're way more behind than I thought. You might actually need help with this."

"Uh… what?"

"But not to worry. Your best friend Rarity is here for you and will guide you through the primal art of seduction!"

_Seduction!?_ The cowgirl gulped fearing what those lessons might entail. She heard about such things and read through some topics on the internet. It was a woman's weapon in ensnaring their prey. The swaying of hips, the licking of your lips, word play, eye gazing and so on. The mere thought of it made her sweat.

"I don't think I need…"

Rarity pressed a finger on her friend's lips, shushing her. "Ah ah darling. Leave it all to me. We can start your lessons tonight after the show. By the end of the week, you'll be a master of manipulation. Flash Sentry won't be able to take his eyes off you even for a second."

"That's a little excessive."

"Do you not want to get Flash's attention?"

"I do, but not like…"

"Then it's settled. You've successfully enrolled yourself in Rarity's class of Seducing 101. First lesson is tonight. Don't be late." And without even waiting for a reply, the fashionista dropped out and gathered her things from the back of the truck but quickly returned to the window. "Oh and before I forget. Here's your entry ticket. The security will let you through without hassle. Wish me luck. Toodles~."

**(Flash's house) (Evening)**

_Dang it. How does anyone breathe with these?_

Flash looked at his reflection on the mirror pulling the edges of his collar as he struggled to breathe in his attire. He never thought he'd don he Gallopers' vintage wine suit again so quickly after his first playdate with Pinkie. He'd forgotten how uncomfortable it was especially around the neck. He could hardly gulp a chunk of air without having his tie literally choke him with each gasp.

His father had made all the arrangements at the house, bringing the full mass of his wealth in full view for every visitor. He put out the expensive wine cases, decked out the front entrance with all the priceless vases and paintings so that their guests would be showered and perhaps even overwhelmed by all the gaudiness they had on display. Even the hallway leading to the dining room and living room were freshly mopped and cleaned right down to the microscopic bacteria. Servants were also posted in each of the rooms and paid overtime for the night. If Flash didn't know better, this meeting might actually be important for his old man.

"How is your suit, sir?" His butler asked from the side already knowing the answer.

"It's… a little tight around the neck." He groaningly answered. "You sure I can't undo one button?"

"Etiquette dictates for such a special event that it should be fully buttoned, sir. Anything else would be deemed as an insult." It wouldn't be much of an insult if he chokes on his own spit.

Ugh… stupid high class etiquette. Honestly – whoever made those rules must've been a master in terms of torture! Even the suit he wore was downright uncomfortable. He looked good in it yeah, but his usual outfit also gave the same sense. Not to mention the sleeves kept tickling the wound on his hand.

"Well those people back then must've learned to breathe some other way because this suit is strangling me to the bone."

"May I suggest a clip-on tie, sir?"

"Maybe." He shrugged. "Speaking of which. Is that thing I asked you for ready yet?"

The butler nodded. "Almost, sir. The ballroom is still being prepped prior to your request. It should be done momentarily."

"Great! At least tonight won't be a complete awkward fest."

"Edmund. Is my son ready?" The master of the house peeked through the door, finding the boy ready as he'll ever be.

"Just about, dad."

"Oh my." Sombra whistled impressively as he walked in and scanned the boy from head to toe. "Very regal. I must say you look quite dashing. It was worth getting that new suit for you. You kind of remind me of me when I was your age."

"Really?" Flash gave an I-don't-believe-you tone as he fixed his tie once more loosening its grip on his Adam's Apple. "Did your old self ever found a way to hold his breath for hours?"

"No. But I was quite the ladies' man." He chuckled softly, reaching for the boy's collar and fixing it. "This was before I met your mother of course. Ah… the hearts I broke when I left for college. It was really dramatic."

"Yeah right."

"I'm serious." The older gentleman insisted. "My jawline was the stuff of legends back in school. Half of them were fond of me, and the other half were jealous of me. I was so popular, those that loved me were called… Sombies."

"Sombies?" Flash smirked with one brow raised.

"Yes. You know? Like… zomb…"

"I get it, dad."

"Ah… of course." Sombra coughed into his hand with flushed cheeks. "Anyway. Like I said: I was a ladies' man. And it seems you inherited that trait from me." Ha! Sure dad. Whatever makes your ego flow. "Speaking of which… Edmund."

"Sir." The butler stood at attention.

"Can you go and hold the front entrance? Inform me when our guests have arrived."

The butler nodded back with a professional bow and departed quietly, leaving the two alone in the room. Though it wasn't obvious, Flash could tell that he just wanted to be alone with him.

The boy found his father staring at him, putting one hand over his cheek to take a better look. Something sparked over his soul which prompted a caring smile to cross his face

"You really do have your mother's eyes."

Flash raised a brow, confused. "Uh… Dad?"

"Sorry." He let go. "I was just… remembering Sophie. I…" He gave out a pause just to sigh. "I know you never really knew her but… she'd be so proud if she saw you right now."

The blue boy chuckled. "Yes dad. You said that like a million times now."

"Well I guess this makes it a million and one." He snorted which in turn grew to a full blown laugh that he shared with his son. "You should've seen her son. Your mother was the most beautiful lady this world has ever seen. She was always the star that shined both day and night. A jewel in the desert. A Radiant…"

"I get it. She's pretty." Flash rolled his eyes much to his father's embarrassment.

"Yes. Very much so." He coughed into his fist. "It's a wonder why we don't talk about your mother more often."

"Well… I didn't know mom at all." The boy pointed out. "Besides, you didn't want to talk about her either."

"I didn't? That doesn't sound like me."

"Don't you remember? Before you went to Saddle Arabia, I finally had the courage to ask you. I… asked about mom one time. But you didn't want to say anything." Flash looked away, recalling some bad memories. "You got upset and curled up in your shell. You hardly even looked at me after that."

"Oh…" Sombra turned away, though he didn't quite remember it. "I see. I'm… sorry son."

"Meh. It was years ago. I'm over it." The little boy shrugged hiding away the pain in his hand. "But yeah. After that, I never brought mom up again. I… didn't want to see you upset like that."

"Flash… I…" Sombra grumbled, rubbing the side of his neck. He felt like an idiot. "I didn't mean to be like that. You must understand that… I was… heartbroken. Losing your mother was perhaps the most painful thing that ever happened to me. I never spoke about her to anyone after she passed away. It was simply… too much for me."

"Yeah… I get it."

"It took me some time to finally move on with my life. And… I hope I can make it up to you."

"Does this mean I can skip dinner?"

"No." He answered almost too quickly, like he anticipated it. "But nice try there, son."

"Dang it. Can I at least take one button off this suit? It's choking me."

"Hmm. I suppose one button will do. But just one." They shared a short laugh together which brought them closer – or at least they hoped so. "Anyway. There's a reason why I brought your mother up. I wanted to give you this." He pulled out a small finely decorated box from his pocket. Inside he revealed a beautifully crafted pin with four silver wings surrounding a blue gemstone.

"Whoa… nice."

"I thought it was high time you had this. Your mother gave it to me during our honeymoon. We went scuba diving at the Great Ocean and came across a magnificent cave system. Inside we found a formation of corals surrounding a small crystal. She took it and made it into something beautiful." He laughed. "I think that's where my desire for archeology started. Anyway, Sophie said that she enchanted this gem with a magical spell that is said to keep me from all harm. Though I find it difficult to believe in such ridiculous things such as magic."

Yeah… magic… ridiculous. _Cough cough…_

"Dad. I couldn't possibly…"

"Oh don't be absurd." Sombra scoffed, pushing the pin closer. "At the very least keep it. Maybe it would protect you."

"But you said you don't believe in magic."

"Oh I don't." He gave a coy smirk as he attached the pin on his collar. "But it might believe in you."

Flash turned around and inspected the new accessory on his suit. It wasn't exactly his type of bling but he had to admit, it looked pretty cool. Maybe just cool enough to be on his jacket. Besides, it also looked mighty expensive.

"Thanks dad."

Sombra gave out a rare smile. "Any time, son." But then a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Sirs." Edmund's head poked in. "The Pie Family is here."

"Ah… yes. Perfect." He smiled. "Come along son. We have guests to greet."

xxxxxxxxxx

Pinkie felt like a doll. A dressed up doll all pimped and pampered to the point of ridiculousness. With the amount of makeup Maud put on her and the clothes her mother had her wear, she swore she would make Rarity look plain in comparison. If you think you would hardly recognize her back during her first playdate, you'd hardly know that this was same Pinkie Pie you see in school.

Her hair was combed down to the last strand losing it puffiness and its natural ability to hide sweets, her attire was changed to a pink long dress that exposed her shoulder and hid her party socks. She opted for a puffy clown gloves at the very least but her mother denied even that.

The long drive to Uptown was harrowing at best. She was hoping to get some respite but her mother constantly berated her with questions and reminded her on her manners. This wasn't going to be like one of her parties. This was a formal meeting with their great business partner and she needed to be at her best behavior.

That meant no loud noises, no yelling, to mind her steps at all times, and of course acting with poise and grace. Thankfully when they arrived, Pinkie was able to take her mind off the rules and turn her attention to the giant mansion in front of her.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy did not exaggerate at all when they said that Flash's place was huge. It was a whole dang town! The garden outside was pretty much bigger than their house. The mansion alone was three stories high with a balcony overlooking the entrance. Servants flanked the steps of the door all looking fresh, like they hadn't worked a single hour all night.

Oh god. It was the Huffs and Hooves all over again! Except on a grander scale. A much much grander scale.

Her mother's eyes reflected on the rearview mirror. "Pinkamena. Stand up straight darling. Your slouching posture will wrinkle your clothes." She groaned but complied nonetheless. She was already here. May as well go all the way and bring out Eiknip. "Try to look proper dear. You want to impress your friend."

"Yes mom."

"And did you bring the thing I asked you to?"

"Got it right here." She patted her sling bag pocket carefully.

Three servants later approached their vehicle and gracefully opened the door for them, another leading her mother by the hand in crisp and precise manner. Like they've been trained to do so all their lives. They didn't speak, and everyone knew what they were all doing. They were then led up the marbled steps and through the gilded door which opened in a grand manner revealing the world of the wealthy.

Pinkie's eyes sparkled reflecting the gleam from every furniture. Several lamp lights illuminated the whole room burning out all the shadows in the world. Everything here looked downright expensive. Even the carpet felt like it was worth its weight in gold.

"Igneous, old fellow!" The master of the house arrived not a moment later to greet them, shaking hands with her father like an old friend. "So good of you to make it. I hope the traffic wasn't much trouble, old friend."

"Neither roadblock nor tremor can hold me back. But may providence favor thee well and to thou comfort your homestead bring."

"Back at you too, old chum." Yeah… her family can be very old school. But thankfully Sombra didn't seem to mind. "And Cloudy Quartz. You're looking as gorgeous as always. It seems obvious now that your daughters have inherited all of your charms." Her mother chuckled and blushed. A rare sight of emotions coming from her.

They colluded through small talk while the servants came by to take their jackets away. She didn't bother listening as her eyes scanned around the room looking for something else entirely.

Or… someone else for that matter.

"Hey there." A finger tapped her shoulder causing her to whip her head around to meet with the blue haired heir to the estate. "Looking for me?"

"Flash!" She smacked her mouth her shut when she nearly reverted back to her original tone. "I mean… hey. Nice to uh… meet you?" That came out like a question than a statement.

He laughed. "Right back at ya. I take it your folks convinced you to come here?"

She didn't bother hiding it. It was pretty obvious seeing how she openly hates her attire. "Yeah. I told them I didn't want to. But you know how they are. My parents can be pretty assertive. Trying to say no to them is like trying to stop a buffalo stampede without Fluttershy."

"Yeah. My dad was also pretty sly when he got me to agree to this." Flash smiled sweetly back at her. "You look great by the way."

Her face grew one or two shades pinker than normal. "Oh uh… thanks. You too." Come on Pinkie. Get it together! Why are you getting so flustered for? It's not like you haven't seen the guy in a suit. Just because he's downright handsome and sweeter than sugar, doesn't mean you should be fawning over him. What do you think would happen if people found out about this? What if your friends find out? Or worse yet… Sunset!?

Oh the cringe and awkwardness you have to suffer the rest of your life. The deadpan stares, the dodging of questions. It'll be unbearable!

"Pinkamena." Her father called out to her. She hated it when people use her lengthened name. "Don't forget your manners."

She rolled her eyes again with a sigh. Slowly she gave a simple gesture of a bow reciting a line that her parents drilled into her. "It is an honor and a privilege to be a guest of this household, Sir and Young Sir. We hope that this meeting shall take root and bear fruit in days to come." Ugh… speaking like the olden colonials felt weird. She was glad that they finally changed to simple 'Hi's and 'Helloes'.

Flash obviously stifled his laugh but that smile of his showed it all.

_Ugh… someone give me a poison cupcake and just kill me now._

"Let's move on to the dining room, shall we?" Sombra offered to which they all accepted.

…

…

…

And dinner played on like she expected. It was super fancy, super delicious and super restricted. The food was like nothing she had ever seen before. Unlike those that she saw in the Huffs and Hooves, these looked like food fit for kings! There were imported kobe beef, lobsters, a whole turkey and a salad so green, the grass outside may as well be gray. And don't even get her started on the desert and Hors d'oeuvre. The flan literally melted in her mouth, and the churros!? It was a darn Ark of the culinary arts!

She would've gladly gobble it down and lick her plate clean of any leftover like the Pinkie Pie that she was, but her mother kept one eye on her the whole time. It gave out a message, threatening her with an unsavory punishment should she make one error. So she had to eat… like a _'Proper'_ lady befitting her station, taking small teeny tiny bites from her utensils and sipping from her glass with one pinkie sticking out.

It was technically torture at this point.

The only consolation she had was of course, Flash. Thankfully the two of them were seated far away from the adults on the overcompensatingly long table which gave them some measure of privacy, though still in full view of their parents. He was thankfully very open about the whole thing and treated her just like he did back in the Huffs and Hooves. They traded jokes, gossips amongst their friends and passed the time with a little chit chat. Though to be completely honest, it was mostly just her fumbling and trying to keep a straight face.

"So wait…" Flash paused their recent conversation as he jerked back. "You're telling me that the night that we went out together really was your first actual date?"

"Yup." She nodded proudly like it was a badge to hold. "My first actual date with another guy. Never really had a reason to do that until mom and dad decided to force it on me."

"Wow… that is a surprise. Sorry."

Pinkie waved it off quickly. "Oh. No. It's no biggie, really. It's not like I had people lining up to ask me out or anything."

The boy nodded. "Fair enough. Still… I think your first date should've been special. You should've gone out with someone you actually liked. Instead you got me."

Pinkie gave a non-caring shrug. "Meh. I don't mind. It'll be a good reference to go on. Not to sound braggy and all, but you kinda set the bar a little too high for all my future dates. I mean… you literally took me out to one of the fanciest place in Canterlot, with food I could hardly pronounce and a whole mess of fun shows to boot."

"Are you talking about the music or the part where the waiters spilled spaghetti all over themselves?"

"Yes." She smiled softly before they snorted out a laugh. "I mean it's gonna take a lot of effort to top that. And besides, dating you wasn't so bad. I mean… I had totes fun." And that was the truth. She really did have a lot of fun. Surprisingly so. "So… yeah. I got zero regrets going on our first date. And… honestly, I wouldn't mind going for another one."

"What?"

"What?" Pinkie blinked hiding her blush. "Anyway! Umm… nice house."

"Oh… uh… thanks?"

"Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy told us all about it. They said you had a giant aviary here. That… among other things. Like a movie house, giant pool, movie house, a ginormous kitchen, movie house, a wide maze garden, movie house."

Oh yeah. He could take a hint. "I'm guessing you want to see our record room?"

"Can I?" She beamed giddily but quickly reverted back to her quiet tone when her mother's razor sharp glare pierced the space between them. "I uh… I mean if it's not too much trouble."

He seemed more than happy to show her. "Not at all. As a matter of fact, you just gave me an idea." Flash then rose from his seat coughing into his hand. "Hey dad. You mind if I show Pinkie around the house?"

Sombra's smile brightened. "Why, that's an excellent suggestion son. Igneous and I were just about to start our business discussion. I'm sure the two of you will find our meeting quite boring anyway. You don't mind, do you, old friend?" Her parents quietly nodded back in reply. "Splendid. Enjoy yourself Pinkie. The house is free game."

With that, Flash casually extended his arm over to Pinkie, a smug grin mustering on her face. "Shall we go, milady?"

"Lead the way, Flashie." She giggled.

…

And just like that they were out of the dining room and away from her mother's soul piercing eyes. She could finally breathe and stop watching her every move.

"Ugh… finally. I thought I was going to die in there." She paused for a moment before correcting. "From my mom's glare obviously. The food was great."

"I'm glad you like it." He smiled, continuing to lead her through the many corridors of his home. "I'm guessing Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy told you all about my place."

"Oh just the good stuff." She answered, looking upward. "You know – the pool, the aviary, and the big movie theater you have hidden in your house. Fluttershy was really into the aviary part." And with good reason too. If half of what she heard from that animal loving lass, his birdhouse may as well be a bird motel. Heck she already picture those weary feathery folk dropping by in their suits and dresses ringing the bell and checking into the room dropping a few bird seeds as a new type of currency.

"I'm sure she's exaggerating." He waved it off. "But now that we're finally out and away from that droll, you wanna get a real party going?"

"Oh?" Pinkie looked at him with anticipation building up. "What did you have in mind?"

"Oh just a few things." The boy snapped his finger which promptly summoned his favorite butler who appeared from thin air. "Edmund. Is everything ready?"

"Just about, sir." The older gentleman nodded as they stopped at a large double door which screamed fancy. With a soft heave, he opened it revealing a giant ballroom that was big enough to fit all the students in CHS and Crystal Prep for one gigantic party. And once inside… her jaw dropped. "Everything has been arranged prior to your specifications: Balloons formed into animals or bizarre objects, random dance number music from the 20th century and… a cake the shape of a '_Toothless'_ alligator."

_Gummy!?_

Pinkie's eyes literally zoomed in at the said cake. And to the butler's words, that double layered chocolate cake was indeed shaped like her pet alligator riding atop a fudge mountain. It was absolutely breathtakingly glorious! She would've preferred if they added a strawberry ice cream version of her riding on his back wielding a chocolate fountain. But she'll take it.

"I figured you wouldn't go all out in that dinner so I had Edmund arrange this for you."

She looked at him, then the butler, then everything around her. "All this… for me?"

It was a party for two. A grand party for two.

"I figured if you and I were ever going to party I'd prefer we partied, Pinkie style." He gave out a sly wink as Edmund approached them with a tray revealing a berry blasted butter biscuit on a bun with… wait… one two… five layers!?

"Five and a half, actually." The butler corrected like he knew what she thinking.

"Gasp! Are you reading my mind right now!? Are you secretly a fairy that can literally do anything!?" He didn't answer, instead slicing the bun for her and letting the smell explode on her face. It was gastronomy at its highest form. Her legs wobbled weakly as she accepted the tray, her mouth practically drooling in buckets. Hesitantly she reached for the fork, the pointy ends sinking into the bun like butter before nibbling it by the edges. "Mbrrwlll!"

"Pinkie?"

A grenade of flavor exploded in her mouth. The taste and texture combined with the aroma that blew out of the bun mixed together created a sense of euphoria. If she were to die right now, she would die with a blissful smile on her face.

"This… is gonna be… the best… party… EVERRRRRRR!"

With a gleeful yell, the girl gladly jumped into the room, dragging her date along with her, glancing at all the tasty treats with eyes gleaming like gold. The smile on her face widened and her hair reverted back to its puffy-self, defying all the laws of nature.

From there on the whole thing acted out like he planned. They'd gobble up whatever food they had on the table, waltz by the dance floor, and even redecorated the Gummy cake. Her smile widened even more as she did all those activities with the boy by her side. A mixture of emotions burst inside of her creating a zone of bliss in her heart. That feeling then reached a tipping point, which caused her body to glitter and glow, like magic was leaking out of her body. Her pony ears and tails formed, which made her even more stunning than before.

She dropped to the nearby sofa an hour later feeling like she just let out days' worth of steam.

"Best grub… ever." She admitted lowly, a wide grin plastered on her face as she stuffed another cake in her mouth. "It's just too bad there's only two of us. If we brought our friends here, we can have a true and proper party."

"You think so?"

"Duh! Have you seen the size of this ballroom? The dance floor is literally bigger than our school gym." It really was – and he knew that too. "You got food, you got props, and you got your own butler who can literally do anything!" She gestured to the man himself who smiled professionally when he was mentioned. "Trust me. If you bring everyone here, it'll be the talk of the town. Guaranteed!"

The boy's smile faded on that last bit. "Yeah… I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"I'd prefer if folks didn't know of my… real history. When people know that you're richer than your average Joe, they tend to treat you differently. I'd rather be known as the cool kid next door or the rocker guy that plays in his parent's garage."

Pinkie nodded while shoving another slice of the bun in her mouth. "I dunno about you. But rich Flashie doesn't seem too bad to me."

"Heh. That's because you know the real me. And I like to keep that group exclusively small. If you know what I mean."

"Not really big on people knowing you?"

"Let's just say that when folks know that you're richer than your classmates, they tend to treat you differently."

The fluffy haired gal shrugged. "I dunno. Sounds kinda like a wasted opportunity." She eyed the venue, already picturing where she could put everything and everyone. The DJ could be on the balcony overlooking the dance floor micromanaging the light show. Add a few fog machines here and there and convert that giant chandelier to a disco ball and you'll practically turn this place into a beacon so bright that it'll outdo the moon. But her thoughts were quickly interrupted when her phone buzzed with a reminder popping on screen. "Oh! And speaking of opportunities, it's almost time!"

"Time for?"

"Rarity's pageant show! It's supposed to be on, right now!" She glanced around for a television. "Quick! Which is the closest room with a TV?"

Flash shrugged. "Well… all of them actually."

Pinkie immediately stopped prancing around, turning to him with another bewildered expression. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." He nodded. "But don't worry. I got you covered." He then clapped his hand twice which echoed throughout the ballroom.

And then suddenly, like they were summoned on command, the butler opened the door allowing a number of servants enter who quickly setup a large screen TV in the middle of the room. All the gadgets and wiring were all neatly done with little to no hassle at all. They even added a nice comfortable couch right in front of it for their viewing pleasure.

Yeesh… what a demonstration of wealth. If this is what it's like to be rich then Pinkie can somewhat understand what Filthy Rich goes through every day. Having money is awesome!

They quickly hopped down on the couch and flipped the remote on finding the channel quickly enough.

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter) (Amphitheater)**

Ok. This is it Rarity. The moment of truth. No need to be afraid. You are in complete control. This is your big break. A victory here means another step closer to the grand prize! You've fought, you've screamed and clawed your way here. And it will take a world changing apocalypse to move her from this spot.

Quietly she glanced over to her lineup. The models that Hoity Toity provided were absolutely fabulous. Each and every one of them handpicked from the finest pedigree in Canterlot. They were gorgeous and had all the right looks for her dresses.

But yet despite all the preparations, she can't help but feel a little intimidated by the competition. While the number of candidates here have dwindled since they first arrived, for one reason or another, those that remained only proved that they were just as tenacious as she was. Those that formed partners and alliances all huddled together like packs of hyenas waiting for someone to slip up. The tension in the backstage alone was suffocating.

"What are you looking at!?" She heard one of them scream at a fellow competitor like a guard dog barking at a stranger. "Stick to your own side!"

"I go where I want!"

"Then go somewhere else!" They bickered back and forth for a while. Thankfully the music outside masked their voices so there would be no risk of words or scandals getting out. Everyone knows that when there are no cameras or journalists around, everyone here was free game. You had a private face, and a face for the masses.

"Look at them." Vignette scoffed, walking up to Rarity's side, arms folding and holding a mean scowl. "Animals. Every last one of them. They all think they have a chance against us. They're all in for a surprise when we swoop in to take the competition."

"Indeed." Rarity bobbed her head in agreement not taking her eyes off any of them. "But you have to admit. Some of these are actually quite impressive. Especially that crown-filled two-piece. Very inspiring."

"Oh please. None of them hold a candle up to us." The fellow fashionista didn't even bother. "Don't you remember what Hoity said about your first dress? He was absolutely infatuated with it. Surprisingly so."

Yes… now that she mentioned it, it is strange. The dress she made inspired by Yaztec culture had Hoity's attention. It was like he was drawn to it.

Sure it was one of her best work but such things normally came with more… constructive criticism.

"Yes, that is strange."

"Trust me Rarity. We got this in the bag. You and I are already set to be in the Grand Runway at Las Pegasus. Everything that we're doing now is simply just formality at this point." She unconsciously added while sneering at another passerby. "I knew partnering up with you was a good idea. We'll ride this popularity contest all the way to the top."

Their attention was drawn out when they noted the lights dimming signaling the beginning of the show.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Young and old." The narrator began with a booming voice over the speakers. "Give a warm welcome to our host. The one. The only: Hoity Toity!" An applause followed afterward with whistling and cheer in the background.

Quietly Rarity took a peek from the curtains seeing the man, the legend himself, walk up to the stage in one of his glorious original attire. For a man his age, he looked pretty spry. Those muscles on his arms weren't easy to hone. He certainly looked the part of the famous fashion designer.

"Oh my." Vignette gasped, amused by the man's showmanship. He gave out a greeting, smiling professionally to the cameras like he had done a thousand times before. "He's wearing that one of a kind Trendsetter original. Very dashing."

"Indeed." Rarity nodded back in agreement, inching curtains ever so slightly to get a better look. "I don't I've seen that design since he and Fancy Pants split up."

"And those accessories simply match them. The earrings, the shades and that black gem bracelet of his are to be adored."

Black gem?

Rarity's smile dropped as she squinted to get a better view.

No… it couldn't be.

Her eyes zoomed at the man's wrist. She never saw it before. Mostly because Hoity often wore long sleeves and baggy clothes. But… there was simply no mistaking it.

Adorned on his wrist was a thinly veiled bracelet. And attached to it was a dark gemstone akin to that of the one they took from Cinch.


	28. The Man with the Mask

**Chapter 28: The Man with the Mask**

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter) (Amphitheater)**

Applejack had to plug her ears as she tried to drown the sound of applause from the crowd with loud thoughts. She knew that many of the people here were fans of the man on stage but there had to be limits. If it wasn't for the fact that she knew that it was some kind of show, she might've thought that she dropped in some kind of religious cult and Hoity Toity was the High Priest her giving out a celestial sermon.

Is this how people in show business do their thing? If so… then Rarity has her work cut out for her. The people here cheering for this guy seemed almost like they were in a frenzied state. If she didn't know better she'd think they were frothing by their mouths, drinking in every word he says like they were coming from god itself.

Speaking of Rarity, her phone suddenly buzzed in with her friend on the other line. She waited for the crowd to simmer down before she answered.

"Hey Rarity. You hear the crowd outside? They are just cr-a-zy. They must really like this…"

"Applejack, listen to me." Her friend's voice sounded urgent which silenced her. "Listen to me carefully. This is important."

"Whoa. Easy there Rarity. What's wrong? Did you mess up one of your dresses?"

"What? No! Not that. Listen. I need you to contact Twilight right away."

"Twilight?" She raised a suspicious look. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I… I'm not quite certain. But you need to do it quickly. Don't you see Hoity?"

"Kinda hard to miss." The guy was practically giving the people a show waving his arms and blowing kisses to the audience making one or two faint out of sheer joy. "He's really talky."

"Look at his left arm. On his wrist!"

The cowgirl did so, squinting sharply. And even though the lights made it a little hard, she saw it as clear as day. The black gemstone dangled carelessly around his wrist for all to see.

"No way." She gasped.

"I believe so." Rarity confirmed it. "It just might be a coincidence and I may just be a tad paranoid but Twilight did say that this secret organization have these things with them." There are no such things as coincidences in this world. Not with everything that's happened.

Applejack nodded back noting Rairity peeking by the giant curtains just behind the man himself. "Don't you worry, Rarity. I'm on it. You just focus on your pageant and keep your eyes open. I'll call you back."

**(Twilight's house)**

"Thank you again for letting me be a part of your Winter Holiday Mister and Missis Sparkle." Cadance nodded in gratitude as she and the rest of Twilight's family finished their dinner.

"Oh please. Don't mention it dearie." Night Light waved it off with a tired smile. "This isn't the first holiday you've had to spend with us. Why you've been coming over so many times, you're practically family at this point."

"That's wonderful to hear." The former Principal laughed it off casually. "And Velvet, your shaved carrot and radish salad is always to die for."

The old lady chuckled back. "Well you always said it was your favorite. Besides it's the least we can do after you lost your position at Crystal Prep. I don't understand why you decided to step down when you were running the place splendidly."

It was understandable that they would be annoyed after hearing Shining Armor announce it. "My position as Principal was never meant to be permanent. Besides, it was the unanimous decision of the Board of Education."

"And those creeps had the audacity to replace you with a handsome gentleman? The galls I say." Twilight Velvet huffed. "Just because he has so many achievements, connections, a sure win election next year, and that unbelievably attractive jawline. Oh~ that jawline."

"Uh… mom?" Shining looked to her worryingly.

"That jawline so magnificent you can chip a rock with. And that hair? That beautiful raven hair of his is out of this world. How does he even keep it so… smooth? It's like a pillow that you can just coddle in bed. I just want to go up to that man and run my hand down his…"

"Ok! Enough about that." Night Light interjected. "Who wants desert?" He collected the plates and hastily made his way to the kitchen with a flushed smile.

"Let me help."

Twilight couldn't help but chuckle. Her mother can be quite fascinated when a handsome man comes into view. She would often comment on their appearance especially during movie nights. And dad can get quite jealous when she goes on a tangent. Shining Armor practically had to plug his ears and blab when mom put on some suggestive comment on this dashing elf on screen.

She was about to help out when she heard her phone buzzed in her pocket.

"Hey Applejack. I just finished my dinner with my parents. I'm just about to…"

"No time for that now!" The girl on the other line spoke up, catching her by surprise. "We need your help pronto."

"Uh… ok?" Twilight looked around and quickly made herself to the living room, away from the rest of her family. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

"Remember how you told us that this super-secret organization have their members wearing these doohickey gemstones on their wrists?" She told her. "Well… I think we might've found our perp."

"You found them!? Who?"

"The guy leading this pageant." The cowgirl grumbled back. "Look. I know this is a long shot but can you use your gadgets to find out any magic going on around here?"

Twilight bit her lip as she looked up at the attic entrance. Her lab had been mothballed ever since her family cut it off from the rest of the electrical grid. She swore never to use it again until she can pay for the bill. But if Applejack was right, then this might just be the big break they were looking for.

If just for a moment, then maybe she might have a little bit of juice for a quick scan.

"Hang on. I'm working on it right now."

…

The egghead rushed up and activated the large batteries she placed at the far end of the attic. It vibrated lowly as lights flickered on, bringing her lab back to life.

"Just 10% left." She muttered annoyingly as she judge the gauge. "It won't last longer than a few minutes." But thankfully Twilight had prepared something just for such an occasion. She reached out to the secret stash she built years ago and shook a box of her pet's tastiest treat whistling loudly. "Spike! Here boy!"

As if summoned by the call of the box, the purple mutt rushed over, mouth salivating. "Did my ears deceive me? Are those, my sweet treats?"

"Yup. How would you like to earn the whole box?"

His eyes beamed. "What do you need me to do? Want me to chase another escaped lab rat? Bark really loud? Do daring stunts?" He got his answer when his owner placed him in a giant hamster wheel which was attached to the batteries. "Uh… what's this?"

"Run Spike! Run! RUN! Run like you're life depended on it! Go!" Upon her command, the mutt began sprinting, turning the wheel around, generating what little power his four legs could muster, not really sure why he was doing it. "Right. Now to activate my scanners." She acted like a mad scientist pressing buttons here and there and pulling switches and turning knobs. After a few seconds the holographic table that she constructed turned on revealing Canterlot City in all its fine glory. "Applejack, you still there?"

"I'm here." She answered. "I'm just hiding at the storefront right now."

"Good. Stay right there. I'm pinpointing your location." And it didn't take long to find her as the scanner pinged at a location at Uptown. There, Twilight noted a big red dot covering the whole amphitheater. "Whoa… that… that can't be good."

"What? What is it?"

"My scanners are picking a huge surge of magical activity – and it's coming from where you are. It's enormous! It looks like someone's charging up to cast a powerful spell right there. Do you see the user doing anything suspicious?"

"No. Not that I can see. He's just talking on stage." Applejack didn't sound so sure of it either. "Nothing here looks out of place."

That's impossible. With the amount of magic being gathered there, Twilight was sure something would be visible. It was strong. Stronger than what Cinch ever used. Either there was an error in her computers, which was highly unlikely, or someone was very good at being discreet.

"Hang on. I'm activating my trackers. And… there! Applejack. The magic is coming from the stage itself."

"I knew it! That Hoity Toity is the one who sicked his shadow monsters on Rarity the other day. What kind of magic is he trying to pull?"

"Not sure. But it's definitely big. Try to act natural. Don't do anything hasty."

"Hasty? That guy's about to do something with magic and you want me to just back and do nothing?"

"I don't think he's going to do anything drastic. This show is being broadcast on live television. If he does use his powers here, he'll be revealing the existence of magic to the entire world. And that doesn't sound like something a secret organization would do."

"So what? I'm supposed to just sit back while he does his magic mumbo jumbo thing?"

"Well you can't just jump at him either." But then Twilight noted a second reading coming from nearby. "Wait… hold on a second. I'm… getting another source of magical energy near your location. It's feint but it's there. Where are you?"

"At the boutique store." The cowgirl answered back. "And I think I know what that reading is. There's a glow coming from Hoity Toity's office. I'm going in."

"Applejack! Don't be too hasty. You'll be breaking and entering. And that's…" The tone in her phone died out. "Dang it. Why do people always rush into illegal activities first?" She groaned lowly before noticing the lights in her lab flickering. "Spike! No breaks! Mush boy! MUSH!"

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

Applejack tucked her phone in her pocket and immediately got to work. She wasn't gonna wait around while someone was dabbling in powers beyond their control.

Much to her surprise the storefront itself wasn't guarded or locked for that matter. Most of the staff were at the stage prepping for the main event. The man himself was still there giving out some kind of monologue. It was dreadfully long but surprisingly the audience didn't seem to mind.

Quietly she snuck into the back where the man's office was. His name was written on a plaque just outside of his door. And just like she said to Twilight, there was a nasty green glow coming from inside.

She fiddled with the knob feeling it fighting back against her twist.

"Lock. Figures." But she wasn't gonna let a simple door block her from her path. Her friends would probably disagree with her methods but AJ has always pride herself for being a direct person. And thankfully no one was around to argue with her. And so with a little bit of magic, she focused all her might into her hand and knocked on the knob. Its metal structure bent inward under the pressure of her might, chipping and popping nuts and bolts like pez. The lock snapped within propping the door open like a prize. "I gotta give credit to Granny. The old knock and pop really does work."

Granny Smith did often lock herself out of her room so she developed this neat little trick as an emergency all-access key. She was banned from using it back home of course seeing as Big Mac and her ended up fixing it over and over again.

Turning it one more time, the cowgirl entered the room finding that strange glow coming from a giant safe that looked completely out of place. While the rest of the room had a style to go on, that safe looked as if it was made by an entirely different culture. A strange thing for a fashion designer like Hoity to have in his personal office.

The safe itself looked as if it was made out of obsidian with gold trim that snaked its way around the edges and corners. It had a dial in front along with a handle to open it when unlocked. But the stranger thing was that soft green glow and a humming noise coming from within.

If Applejack was a gambling gal, which she is not by the way, she'd say that something magical and sinister was hiding inside that thing.

Now Twilight would probably say that she shouldn't be breaking into people's offices or messing with their properties. But thankfully that egghead wasn't here, which means everything here was free game.

_"And now, ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome our competitors for tonight!"_

An eruption of cheer and applause signaled the beginning of the competition. That could only mean that Rarity was going on stage, right next to that man. She wanted to call her but doubtful that she'll answer. Rarity was a pro when it came to showbiz. Still… it didn't sit right with Applejack knowing that she'd be near that guy. Who knows what he's planning to do with all that magic?

The answer to that question may yet be found in here.

Slowly she reached for the safe and saw the glow getting brighter. It would've been an easy thing to pull off had the safe not reacted to her presence and sent an electrical surge through her fingers.

"Yeow!" She jerked her hand back, wagging her fingers like they just got burnt. "Ok… that's not something you see every day. I ain't an expert on magic but I know magic trap when I see one. And if you think a little static shock is gonna stop me, then you got another thing coming." She quickly ponied up and yanked the safe a second time. It resisted of course but its defensive power did little against someone who had the full power of Equestrian Magic.

And inside the safe was an object she recognized very well…

"No way…"

Those were the last words she ushered before three shadowy figures snuck into her shadow, flashing toothless grins.

"Very…"

"…naughty…

"…little lady."

**(Twilight's House)**

Twilight was worried.

It's been over ten minutes since Applejack cut off their call. She wanted to go over there but Uptown was at least half an hour ride depending on traffic. The only thing she could do was sit back and wait while the magic on her tracker grew in size. She was also keeping an eye on it through live television watching the show progress slowly.

Rarity was now presenting her lineup, flashing that smile she had been perfecting for years. Her models strutted down the catwalk showing off their dresses like they were pieces of art. Cameras flashed while the crowd gasped and whispered endlessly. This made the egghead even more worried when she noticed her friend on set was standing dangerously close to Hoity Toity who was the origin of that strange magic.

She hoped that nothing bad would happen. But considering that this man once worked alongside Cinch, she didn't have that much confidence.

Twilight was close to calling everyone for an emergency gathering but she came to a stop when she found Applejack calling back.

"Applejack! What happened? Did you find anything?"

"Oh I found something alright." The cowgirl replied, her voice shaken. "I broke into Hoity's office." Dang it. Breaking and entering? That was so not a good look for her permanent record. "And… it looks like our suspicions were right. He really was working with Cinch. I found a dangerous thing in his safe."

"Let me guess. The Memory Stone?"

"Yup. But it looks kinda... broken. Like they glued it together with spit and grime." Ok that was not an image she needed but it was vivid.

"Well… it ain't broken if it still works." Twilight wasn't really surprised at this point. They already knew that this organization had the ability to repair magical artifacts like her Magic Trap. If they can fix that, then fixing a broken rock enchanted with Equestrian Magic should be child's play to them.

"What should I do with it?"

That was a good question. What should they do with it? The memory stone had a variety of uses, many of which were venomously bad. They could probably use it for their own purposes but that would reveal too much to the organization.

Ugh… what would Sunset do in this situation?

Twilight's head ran on overdrive trying to get the solutions. So many scenarios came to mind and sadly only one provided the obvious choice. "Leave it where it is."

"What!? You want me to leave this guy with one of the most dangerous rock in the world? Can't I just break it or something?"

"He hasn't done anything yet. At least nothing bad. If you take artifact away he'll know that we're onto him. And remember that they were able to repair it before. Even if you break it now they'll just fix it again. Our best advantage right now is our element of surprise. They know that we have magic but what they don't know is that we know who these people are. Right now it'll be best for all of us if you just leave the store. We'll discuss this tomorrow."

Applejack grumbled hesitantly, but saw logic in that reasoning. No point picking fights until you know your opponent. And the element of surprise might just tip the scale in their favor. "Alright fine. I'll leave it be."

"But don't you worry. With the amount of magic he's gathering, I can surmise what spell he's trying to use. It should be happening just… about…" The power then suddenly went out putting her room in pitch black. "What the!? No! No no no no no! Spike!"

She turned over to her pet who laid down weakly in his hamster wheel, panting heavily in a pool of his own drool. "Can't… run… no more."

"Ugh… that's it. We are gonna work on your cardio when this is over."

**(Flash's house) (A few hours later)**

Pinkie almost felt sad to be leaving the big giant mansion. With all the amenities this place provided, a girl could actually get used to living here. After the pageant show finished with Rarity's selection along with a few others, Flash had taken her around the house visiting every room like they were on a tour. They even spent a whole hour at the record room, or 'Movie House' as the girls seem to call it, and watched a screening of their choosing. Never had she experienced a private theater until now – and it was totally awesome. The butler was also there, providing them with everything they needed. Cookies, popcorn, drinks and more cake? There was simply no limit.

This mansion literally has everything anyone could possibly need. A garden, a swimming pool, a library full of books that would make Twilight gurgle, and even a larder full of all the food you can eat. Heck, you can lock yourself in here from the outside world for ten years and you'd still be able to live comfortably.

The tour was concluded at the aviary gazebo which Fluttershy certainly did not exaggerate in her description. It really was indeed a hotel for birds.

Granted, it wasn't an exact match to what she pictured it but it was certainly close. Every feathered creature in here were all tucking themselves in small adorable birdhouses, each hanging from a branch on this massive tree.

"Oh… this is incredible." Pinkie gawked endlessly at the tree. "I can spend an eternity here."

"Yeah. That's what Fluttershy said too." Flash chuckled from the benches watching his friend coon over everything like a new born babe.

"I wish I knew a spell that could transform me into a bird, just so that I can experience what it's like to live in those cozy little birdhouses."

"Don't forget the flying."

"Yeah sure. That too. But flying is so overrated." She gleefully added as she took a seat beside him, her infectious smile practically glued to her face. "You know something? I really didn't think I'd have as much fun here as I thought I would." The boy eyed her weirdly. "I mean… when mom and dad told me I had to attend this super formal dinner party with you and your dad, I thought it'd be like our first date, but… you know? More..."

"Awkweird?"

She chuckled thinking on their private made up word. "Yeah. Awkweird."

"Hey. You're hanging out with Flash Sentry here." He boasted. "I have a reputation to uphold. Anyone who goes out with Flash Sentry is guaranteed to have an awesome time or your money back."

"Really?" She cooed. "Does Flash Sentry also have a signature move on his date?"

"Oh absolutely. Every self-respecting playboy always has a killer move to seal the deal." He licked his hand and traced it over his hair then leaned in on her flashing his cool guy smile and throwing a wink for good measure. "I call it: The Deal Closer. It's guaranteed to melt your heart out. The ladies find it irresistible."

Pinkie chuckled. "Really? How long did it take you to make that up?"

He shrugged. "Meh… about ten minutes. But honestly, I always find that being yourself works best in these types of situations. I mean… why be anyone else?"

"Heh… if only." Her chuckle twisted a bit which did not escape his notice. "Unless your real-self happens to be an out-of-this-world party animal with no restraint whatsoever. Sometimes I have to be Eiknip just to look normal."

"Hey, don't listen to them." Flash scooted closer tracing one hand over her hair, removing the bangs from her eyes. "I think the real Pinkie Pie is one of the coolest girl I know. She knows how to set up the awesomest parties, bake the tastiest cakes and let's not forget she can make sweets explode too."

"Oh please. How many times have you used that line?"

"Just once." And then quietly the boy reached out for a feather that fell nearby. "Here. Something for you to remember this night." She froze like a deer in headlight when she casually placed it right above her ear letting its brownish color mix with her puffy hair. "And honestly? Anyone who gets to date a real party animal, is lucky to have you." Oh god. Why does his voice feel like silk to her ears? Did he always look this good up close? Does he practice these lines in a mirror or something because they're way too good just to be cooked on the spot.

Is she red? Yup, she was definitely red. She could feel her face practically burning.

"Oh cut it out." She pushed him away laughing giddily. But deep down inside, her other self was screaming at her. Her very subconscious right now was calling out to the girl. The High Cupcake Council of Pinkie Pies who were controlling her every thoughts were tearing each other apart, all slowly dying of shame while telling her that she should just grab the guy.

Come on now! Even Rarity would agree that the moment was perfect. Sitting in a gazebo surrounded by nature's wonders, under a semi-clear night sky? You couldn't possibly ask for a better setting. It would practically be a crime not to take the leap! Heck, even the birds in their vicinity were all staring at them. And you didn't need Fluttershy to tell what they were all saying.

And honestly enough she wanted to. She really REALLY wanted to just reach out, take his lips and be done with it. He was downright sweet. And everything they've done up till now has been what she expected of a date. They had an awesome dinner together, he took her to the movies, they danced and even got her to see an exclusive view of a close approximation of an actual bird hotel – all of which was done within hours of their meeting. And this was only their second date. The only way he could top this was that he'd take her on a private jet to Manehattan just to buy her a jelly tart from Restaurant Row. And considering what she'd seen here, she wouldn't be surprised if he actually did that.

All in all, this whole thing should end with a kiss or at the very least a peck on the cheek.

But there was another voice whispering at the back of her mind. It was a sadistic, sickening voice that haunted her. A dreadful one that made her despise that feeling in her heart.

"Pinkie?" Flash noted her darkened expression. "You ok?"

"I'm fine! Totally fine! Nothing wrong here! Ahehehehe." She fought off her heating cheeks which was burning to the point of her getting a suntan.

Thankfully their little outing was interrupted by a forced cough calling for their attention.

"Flash. Ms. Pie." Sombra held back a grin that dripped with suggestions. "I do hope I'm not interrupting."

The boy chuckled. "Actually…"

"Nope! Not at all!" Pinkie answered back with panicked haste. "We were just uh… bird watching!" He didn't seem keen on believing that. And if her eyes wasn't deceiving her, she could swear that she could see her mom and dad showing what looked like the beginning of a smirk.

"I see…" Sombra respected her privacy and let that be the end of it – for now. "Anyway, Igneous and I have just concluded our business. And after our tireless talk, I'm sure both he and Mrs. Pie are ready to head on home." His eye fell on the two with a suggestive tone. "Unless you'd like to extend your stay for a few more hours."

"No no. We're good." The party girl hastily fixed her hair and joined her parents' side as nonchalant as possible. But her embarrassed strut totally gave her away.

"I take it my son has shown you a wonderful time?" Her blush was all the answer he needed. "Heh. I'll take that as a yes." God, these two really are father and son.

"Maybe next time you should come visit us." Igneous suggested much his daughter's horror. "It would be nice for the two of you to join us for the Winter Holidays. You can also meet my other daughters too." Are you kidding me right now, dad!? You want Flash to come to our place while her sisters are there? They'll grill her till her bones are bleached. She'll die. She will literally die from embarrassment. Pinkie can already see their stoic stares, their mischievous grins, and not to mention their judgmental sneers. Maud will continuously tease her, Limestone will make kissy faces, and Marble – she'll… uh… give her the look! It'll be so bad it might last throughout the holidays. Her mind, body and soul will give out before the New Year is done.

"Perhaps another time, old friend." Oh thank god for small mercies. "I'd like to leave these next two weeks as open as possible. But I'll keep your offer in mind."

It took a while for Flash to approach, in which Cloudy Quartz took notice of his attire.

"Pinkie." The girl in question stiffened when her mother called her name. "Aren't you supposed to give Flash something?"

"Something?" The bubbly girl trailed off before her eyes shot up in realization. "Oh! The gift! I completely forgot." She dug her hands through her sling bag comically and produced a small blue ornate box the size of her palm, handing it... or rather, shoved it over to her date.

The boy clumsily opened it revealing a masterfully crafted pocket watch made entirely of bronze with silver engravings.

"Whoa…" He gasped. "It's beautiful."

"Pinkie chose it." Igneous pointed out much to his daughter's annoyance. "It's one of our old timer pocket watch. Back in the old days, foremen used these things to tell the time back in the mines. They used to glow in the dark but we stopped making those. Still... this is made of sterner stuff. Guaranteed never to break."

Flash looked up to the older gentleman and nodded. "Thank you sir. I'll treasure it."

"Oh don't be silly. This is the Winter Holidays. It's a season of gifts."

He smiled back, putting one hand over the blue pin on his suit. "It has been a day for gifts. I only wish I had something to give to you."

Cloudy Quartz darted a glance over her daughter who tried to hide the gifted feather in her puffy hair. "I think you already gave Pinkie plenty."

"Mom!" Dang it. As if her sisters weren't enough of a hassle.

"Alright you two. Let's lay off the teasing." Sombra chuckled along with his old colleague. "We should get you all home before this night gets darker. I'll have my valet bring your car over. Flash. Would you mind escorting the Pies to the front entrance? I need to make a quick call." The boy didn't mind and politely led them out of the aviary, his arm offered to Pinkie who hesitantly accepted it. Sombra couldn't help but smile sweetly watching them walk away like that. And to think his son believed that they'd never have a chance together.

After after making sure that they were gone, he looked to his side and whispered. "Edmund."

"Sir." His butler suddenly appeared from the pond dressed in a scuba suit scaring some of the ducks away.

"Did you take pictures?"

"Plenty sir." He produced a series of photos that he secretly took in the duration of the date.

Sombra grinned like a cat who caught the canary.

**(Celestia/Luna's Apartment)**

Luna smiled sweetly as she poured herself a glass of wine which she had been saving for a while now. It was a vintage bottle she got a few months back. She kept it safe in the cabinet saving it for a special occasion.

And what better occasion is there than the beginning of their two long weeks holiday?

No more brats to look after until the party, no more telling students not to park at the faculty parking lot, no more complaints from the teachers, and most importantly… no more paperwork. She was free to enjoy the next two weeks without any of those annoying brats filing into her office or having to deal with magic. Yup it was nothing but smooth sailing from here on out.

"Luna." Her sister called, exiting her room with a troubled expression. "Are you busy? I need your opinion on something." She pulled out two different suits with various color schemes. "Which do you think suits me better? The gray one or the white one?"

"Going on another date with Sombra?" She poked back knowingly.

"Isn't it obvious?" Celestia answered plainly without hiding it. "We're going somewhere quite special next week."

"And where, pray tell, does he intend to take you this time?" Luna teased. "With all the dates you two have been going, I'm beginning to fear that Canterlot will soon run out of places to entertain you two."

"It's actually a very special place." She chuckled softly like a girl in love. "Remember that old seafood restaurant by the beach? The Greedy Lobster?"

"How can I forget?" Her little sister's face twisted in discomfort. "They had the best mussels though a bit pricey for my taste. I also seem to remember that it closed down after the chef's special _'Taste Enhancer'_ put over two dozen people in the hospital."

"Well the restaurant might not be there anymore but it is the place where Sombra and I had our first date. Back in school. Before…"

"Before you decided to break his heart into a million pieces with a NOTE." She stressed out that last word earning a glare from the woman.

"Yes… that. So it has some sentimental value."

"Ah… reliving our younger years." Luna chuckled. "Goes to show how old we've become. What are you gonna get him afterward? I take it you have a gift ready."

"Oh Luna. I think it's a little too early to be dishing out presents."

"I agree. But you do know that his birthday is also just around the corner, right?" She noted Celestia's frozen expression. "You totally forgot his birthday, didn't you?"

"What? No~" She groaned. "Ugh… yes. Dang it. I completely forgot that his birthday was around this time of year. It's been a while since we actually celebrated it. And Sombra's not exactly the easiest to buy gifts for. What do you get someone who practically has everything?"

"That's something you'll have to figure out yourself, sister. But… if you want, I can help you pick something for him in the mall. God know that man could certainly use a wardrobe change."

**(Saturday) (Sunset's house) (Morning)**

"Hoity Toity?!" Sunset balked when she heard the story from Applejack. It came as a big surprise knowing that a superstar like Hoity would actually be a member of the secret organization. "As in THE Hoity Toity? The fashion star? He's the one who sent those shadow monsters to attack Rarity the other day? Are you sure about this?"

Applejack nodded. "Oh a hundred percent, sure. That guy is beyond guilty. He's got magic defense in his office, a black gem on his wrist and one of the old magical gizmos. Tell him Rarity."

The fashionista agreed wholeheartedly. "I'm afraid I have to agree with Applejack. As much as I hate to say it: It's highly likely that Hoity Toity is the one who is responsible for my recent eviction."

"I can support that theory." Twilight naturally agreed of course. "When that man was on stage, my scanners picked up a huge wave of magical energy. I would've discovered what spell he used too if my batteries didn't die out."

"But why would he go after Rarity?" Fluttershy asked from the sideline. "What does he hope to gain?"

"I bet he was after her magic." Rainbow Dash deduced incorrectly. "Just like Cinch, he's trying to gather all the magic he can get to power that Chalice of theirs. He probably thought Rarity would be an easy target because of her fro-fro stuff."

Rarity gave her friend a glare which was left ignored. "As much as I adore your 'Fro-fro' comment, I think I have a more precise answer." She gestured over to the statuette over by the strange music box. "I believe he was after that."

Sunset raised a brow. "The Portal Stone? How'd you know?"

"Ever since I showed him that photo of that thing he became quite enamored over my designs. I noticed it when his eyes flickered over."

"Doesn't he wear those shades like… all the time?" Applejack reminded. "How can you tell?"

"Attention to details, darling. It's one of my finer qualities. His brows rose up 20% above its usual stationary margin. You don't make that kind of brow-raise unless something has caught you off guard."

"I dunno." Pinkie stated, her hands clamoring over the statue. "This doesn't look like something I'd fight over. I could probably get something twice as pretty as this in the toy store."

"That does make sense." Sunset bobbed her head, pacing back and forth deep in thought. "Cinch was working with Yaztec artifacts and constructing the new wing of the museum. And this thing reeks of magic. And knowing that these guys hoard magic items, I wouldn't put it pass them to be this aggressive." She grabbed the statue from Pinkie and hid it in one of her many cabinets.

"So what are we waiting for?" Rainbow Dash pumped her fists together. "We know the guy's super guilty. Why don't we just bust down his door and splash our usual magic before he strikes again?" Applejack chimed in agreement to that plan.

"Uh… does it have to be now?" Rarity asked worryingly. "I don't think we have to do it now. Perhaps later? Preferably right after he picks me to join him on his tour at the Grand Runway?"

"He attacked you, remember?"

"Yes but the damage is hardly worth a trip to Las Pegasus."

"Rarity!"

"Oh fine!"

"Not so fast you two." Twilight ebbed their aggressive behavior with a firm hand raised. "While I do like to put an end to this whole fiasco, you have to remember that it's not going to be that easy. This isn't going to be like Cinch. Our mark isn't just some random passerby. This is Hoity Toity. He's a celebrity. If anything should happen to him, it would cause worldwide backlash. And that's not the kind of attention we, or the school, needs right now."

"And let's not forget what happened with Cinch too." Sunset reminded them of that painful event that had them all on their knees. "She was powerful enough to take us all on and she only learned magic recently. Not to mention we have to be prepared for all eventualities. I don't want another incident like the one with Twilight's Magic Trap."

"Oh please." Rainbow Dash puckered her lips and waved it off carelessly. "That was one time. Besides, if you want assurances, then we can bring Flash along. He'll be down to help us in a heartbeat." The redhead returned that joke with a glare that would've burned through concrete walls. "Or… uh… aheh… we could be more prepared. Yeah."

"Why are you so against bringing Flash along anywho?" Applejack inquired, shooting a question back at the ex. "The way I see it: If it wasn't for him, we'd be dry of magic and Adagio would be dust back then. If he wants to help us, I'd say we let him. He's earned that much after what he did for us."

"Need I remind you that Flash's little rescue stunt burned down half a city block?" She paused a bit noticing their shy glances. "Look. I know that you all think bringing him along is a good idea. But for the last time, no. And that is not up for debate. We need to solve this by ourselves. But we're gonna need some extra assurances." She turned over to the music box and grinned. "And I think I know where to start."

"So we're just gonna let Hoity Toity go free?"

"Just for a while longer." Sunset answered. "He doesn't know that we're on to him yet. After we get a little help from my friends on the other side, we'll take him down. But for now I think it'll be best if none of us stay alone. Rarity. You ok with staying at Applejack's place for a few more days?"

"Naturally darling."

"Fluttershy. Would it be alright if Pinkie stayed with you for the weekend?"

"Oh absolutely." The animal lover nodded with no regret. "My little friends will be delighted."

The bubbly gal agreed wholeheartedly. "Yeah! We'll make it a makeover party!"

"Twilight and Rainbow Dash can stay with me. I don't think anyone would mind us, seeing as it's the holidays. We can strategize together before we hit Hoity."

"Totally!" Rainbow Dash nodded before stopping when she remembered something. "Ah… but I might be a little late. I got band practice with Flash today and I promise to attend. But don't you worry. I'll be here."

"And speaking of moving in." Twilight cooed over to the gang gathering their attention one more time. "Before we dismiss this meeting, I'd like to make an announcement to you all." She then took the metaphorical stage replacing Sunset. "I know that I've been a bit of a stickler this last week, but I have a good reason for it. However… after much deliberation, consideration and opinions from all of you and several other sources. I've decided to move in with Timber."

A mixed reaction of surprise and congratulations were thrown from her friends, all equally shocked by the revelation.

"That's marvelous darling!"

"Congratulation."

They patted her back and cheered. Even Pinkie Pie brought her confetti cannon out for a shot. Sunset groaned about the time it'll take to clean that up but she was too immersed with her best friend's move.

"So you're really doing it." She casually added with a soft smile on her face.

Twilight sighed, thankful for their support. "Yeah. I figured we'd take it slow for now. I won't be fully moving in with him until I graduate but I thought about doing a probationary trial period instead. I'd stay over with him on the weekends and holidays, and then stay at my place on schooldays. That way I can test the water and see how things pan out."

"So you'll be bunking together, eh?" Applejack tilted her head sideway, looking somewhat mixed but also supportive. "Well if you think it's for the best then you got my vote. But I still think you should wait it out a bit longer."

The fashionista pushed her away sighing dramatically. "Oh poppydash darling. I think it's a wonderful idea. Look at you. Our little Twilight, taking the next step of her relationship. I feel so proud and also very excited! Did you tell Timber yet?"

"Yesterday. And he was quite ecstatic too. He's even helping me move a few of my stuff. We're meeting later this afternoon for a tour of his place and the local area on the eastside. He knows all the best restaurants and apparently there's an antique store not far from the beach."

Wow…

That was the only word Sunset could think of. From what she got from that sentence, it looks like Timber really is pulling all the stops to make Twilight's transition all the more inviting. Tours of his place, showing the local hotspots and even flashing an antique store to boot? He really knows his audience. With all those lures and baits he put up, he'll be reeling Twilight in faster than they could say Magic Waffles.

"Did someone say... Magic Waffles?" Pinkie grinned as she brought her said treats.


	29. Pawns and Pieces

**Chapter 29: Pawns and Pieces**

**(Saturday) (Afternoon) (Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

Hoity Toity sat in his office that morning, sipping a cup of coffee while enjoying a brief respite from his work. Another deal has been done and another wealthy clientele has left his store with a satisfied smile on her face.

That woman had practically brought one of everything in his boutique leaving a hefty sum of money in his cash register. His employees will be spending the next few hours counting it down to the last coin. It left him feeling rather pleased to know that another influential family would be wearing his garments. And knowingly… they probably won't be wearing anything else for that matter.

The snow was picking up as the winter season finally settled in. He believes another week or so, the streets will be frozen over. He wondered if now would be the perfect time to put out his Winter Collection and join in on the event. The more people wore his designs, then all the better.

His vision of a civilized society would come to fruition once more, all dressed in his designs. Unlike his former partner who had no such imagination in his bones. What purpose is limiting their sales when everyone can wear it? Pfft. He was glad to be rid of that Fancy Pants fellow. He was just holding him down.

The fashion star paused in his drink when he noted another figure entering his store. He recognize the face in the newspaper a few days back. A politician perhaps.

He was about to greet him but pulled a quick stop when he felt his own shadow moving.

The man pulled out his phone pretending to answer a call.

He listened as his minions whispered sweet words into his ears.

"Is that so?" A wicked smile crossed his lips as his shadow continued. "Oh my. Those girls are deliciously deceptive." He turned his attention to his safe where he kept some of his more… magical items. "What the Master says is true: I really do lack subtlety. Perhaps using all that magic last night rang alarms in their heads." He let out a soft chuckle, dismissing his shadowy assistant with a wave. "But no matter. If they do plan to strike at me, then it just goes to show that I have to strike first. Let's see what these girls are made of."

**(Timber's apartment building)**

Twilight can't remember the last time she saw her boyfriend this happy. Timber was practically going all out in this tour and he was beaming brighter than the city of lights. Ever since she gave him her answer he went out of his way to clear his schedule for the weekend just to spend time with her.

He took her to his neighborhood on the eastside of the city and drove through all the famous locations like one of those tour guides in the airport. He pointed out all the cafes, grocery stores, bus stops, restaurants, bakeries, and even went out of his way to get a look at Everton Academy. Classes had stopped for the holidays but the roads were still serviceable for them to have a quick peek at her future. It was absolutely everything she ever wanted and more. To think, that in just a few months she'll be transferring here with all of her equipment from home.

The neighborhood bordered Uptown as well so you can see some of the wealthier part of the city close to the roads. Even the rich and snooty folks come by every now and then to take a walk in the park.

And finally, they arrived at their last destination which was the said apartment, which would soon become her new home.

"See? What'd I tell ya?" Timber declared proudly as he parked his car at his personal parking space. "15 minutes from here to Everton back and forth. And with 4 minutes to spare including traffic and road conditions. I might've even set a new record."

Twilight rolled her eye at his cockiness. "Ok speed-racer. Don't get your head so high in the clouds. I'll admit that the place does look inviting and the atmosphere is pleasant, and that antique store was a good touch. I'll give you that."

"I know, right? You wanted to buy that giant parchment thing right on the spot."

"It wasn't a parchment. That was a genuine scroll made out of pure papyrus. It depicted the earliest writing of the first settlers in Saddle Arabia. The historical value alone is immeasurable!"

"Yet the owner was able to put a price on it either way."

"Pfft. A few hundred is worth a priceless artifact."

"You were going to barter my car for it."

She grinned shyly. "I was gonna pay you back… eventually." They shared a laugh with one another, lightening the mood. "You really thought of this tour when you wanted me to move to your place."

"Oh I thought of everything." He smugly added with a wink before leading her up the stairs to his apartment. "Wait till you see what I've done with the place."

It wouldn't be the first time Twilight visited her boyfriend's apartment. Timber had always been going on about how he wanted his family to sell their camp so they could finally move into a town or a city. When he finally got the chance to get his own apartment he took that chance the moment it was offered. Of course he had to get a second job as a lifeguard to pay for it.

The apartment was simple. It's got three bedrooms, a wide open kitchen, a shared bathroom, and a killer view of the Everfree Woods and a little bit of the beach. It was perfect for Timber and Gloriosa, should his sister ever stop by to visit. She seldom comes by anymore, preferring to live at the camp over this 'Concrete Jungle', as she calls it. He naturally didn't mind at all and enjoyed the privacy the place offered.

"Oh and just so you know. Those glow-in-the-dark stickers were already there when I bought the place."

She gave him a look of disbelief. "Sure…"

"Tada!" The boy announced as he led her into the living room like a showman.

Twilight looked around and raised a curious glance at him. "It's the same."

The green haired camp counselor laughed it off. "I know. I just wanted to raise the hype." He then led her to a separate room holding the knob. "Here's what I actually wanted to show you. Twilight Sparkle. Allow me to show you, your new room!"

…

It was a simple rectangular bedroom yet at the same time it was so much more. There was a plain bed decked out with stars and planets, the walls were lined with inspiration posters, the worktable had a Starswirl the Bearded lamp and an assortment of books that went up her alley, and there was a smaller separate room that doubled as a closet. Two switches hung next to the door, activating the lights above. But the killing deal for Twilight was definitely the view by the window. Everton Academy's enormous courtyard and main complex could be seen just outside. Even the old clock tower at the top was perfectly aligned between two larger structures.

It was enough to make her gasp and take her breath away.

"So~? What do you think?"

"It's… beautiful." She let out the air she realized she had been holding. "It's got everything. Those inspirational posters that I keep seeing on the internet!"

"Printed them out and had them framed."

"And those books?" She eyed them and gasped once more. "Those are the Canterlot Public Library Original encyclopedias!"

"They were just giving those away at the bookstore. I mean who reads encyclopedias anymore?"

Twilight turned to sniff something in the air. "Is that the vegetarian burger from Hey Burger I smell?"

The boy produced said burger from his back, offering it up. "There's one branch just a minute walk from here."

"And you even got a mini-bed for Spike!"

He shrugged. "Meh. I figured you were gonna bring that little guy here. It'll take some getting used to but it'd be nice having a talking dog to talk to around here." He blinked. "Wow… there's a sentence I never thought I'd say."

"I love it!" She threw her arms over him dangling over his neck like a pole. "I can't believe you did all of this for me."

"I know that we're dating and all but you might also want a little bit of privacy so I thought I'd give you the guest room as a way for you to settle in easier."

"That's so sweet."

"Anything for my favorite girl." The boy laughed out loud, holding his girlfriend in his arms. "Think of it as your quick transition to my humble abode. Oh and before I forget, I have to give you the ground rules. All the rooms are free except for Gloriosa. She doesn't really visit the place often but she still doesn't want people poking through her stuff." He then leaned in to whisper. "Though honestly she doesn't want others to see her giant autographed PostCrush poster. She's a huge fan."

"I know a few people who'd love to see that." Twilight chuckled softly thinking of the two redheads in her group. "But you definitely sold me on the place. I'm already looking forward to moving here."

"You and me both, girl." He muttered to himself as the girl checked out the kitchen admiring the cleanliness of the place. "You… and me both…"

**(Canterlot Mall)**

_Ok… let's see… do we have enough supplies for the weekend?_

_40 pounds worth of chocolate, 25 pounds of cookie dough for emergencies, condiments, sauce, peanuts, and emergency ration of raisin bread._

_Hmmm… maybe I should buy a few more cupcakes, just in case._

Pinkie Pie dragged her body through the food court of the Canterlot Mall that afternoon preparing for her sleepover with Fluttershy. While her animal loving friend was off securing the pad for her stay, she was preparing for the apocalypse. With the amount of goodies she had on hand, people might say that she was preparing to hold up in a bunker somewhere and isolate herself for a decade.

But little did they know that these supplies wouldn't live through the end of the week. This is Pinkie after all. A black hole where all sweets go and never return.

However her attention was quickly grabbed by the large screen TV that advertised trailers for upcoming movies.

She recognized the cast playing and the title of this flick. It was a soapy romance movie about two people from different lots in life. One was a rich and wealthy and the other came from a lowborn family. They met under remarkable circumstances and continued to become good friends before falling madly in love with one another. A classic if somewhat rather unoriginal script line there but it did gather an impressive following.

_"Raspberry, my love. If only fate didn't deal us such a cruel hand in our lifetime, I would've asked your hand a long time ago."_

_"And yet here we are, standing at very place where we first met… under the same starry night."_

Ugh… honestly, who talks like that anymore?

Her parents apparently. But they were more old school retro in her eyes.

_"Then take this, my love. To commemorate this night – or at the very least… a little something to remember me by."_ The hero plucked a flower from the garden, offering it to his love like a token of his affection.

And just like that the memories of last night came flooding in like a brick. Pinkie pulled out that feather that Flash gave to her in the aviary. It wasn't really anything special and there were things far more beautiful there. But the gesture alone was enough to make her heart beat faster and put a creepy smile on her lips. If this feeling she had in her wasn't love then she wouldn't know what is.

Still… how is one supposed to confess to a guy like Flash? Would it be such a bad thing to go out with a guy as sweet as him?

"Pinkie?"

"Mgyaa I didn't do it!" The girl snapped back to reality and hid the feather in the puffiness of her hair whipping her head around to find the fashionista staring at her. "Oh… hey Rarity. Are you here stocking up on essential supplies for the weekend?"

"If by… 'supplies' you mean those things you call… food? Then no. But I am getting myself a new sowing machine. The one I had back home was destroyed and I need a new lineup for the next phase of my competition."

"Competition?" Pinkie questioned. "You mean that whole pageant thing with Hoity Toity? You're still doing that?"

"Why of course darling. A little shocking revelation is by no means an excuse to forfeit from such an opportunity." Wow... talk about dedication despite the danger.

"But aren't you afraid he might… you know?"

"Oh don't you worry dearie. With all the witnesses there? He wouldn't dare try anything so barbaric. Besides, someone has to keep an eye on him. And what better way than to be close to him?" Sounds like she was dancing dangerously with danger. "Speaking of being close, can you imagine Twilight actually agreed to move in with Timber?"

"Can I? She told us. Duh."

"I know. But this is a huge thing for us. To think Twilight would actually be moving head long into her relationship. I never would've imagined it." She sighed out dreamily, thinking of that girl's future. "And just think… in a few years she'll be on her wedding day, walking down the aisle. Oh! I wonder if she'll let me design her gown. It'll be fabulous!"

Ugh… there she goes again. Figured she'd let it end in clothes.

Still… that didn't change the fact that she had some experience in it.

"Uh… hey Rarity." Pinkie shyly opened up, rubbing the back of her neck unsure whether to speak up or not. "You're an expert when it comes to all this… love stuff, right?"

The fashionista shrugged. "I wouldn't say I'm an expert sweetie, but… yes… expert would be the right word for it."

"So… you've been with people before?"

It was Rarity's turn to blush. "Uh… I may have had one or two flings but nothing like what Twilight and Timber have. Why?"

"Well… how would you actually know that you… like-like someone?"

"Oh that one is easy darling." Rarity waved it off like it was no big deal. "Though it differentiates between people. The common thing is that the person makes you feel giddy on the inside."

"Giddy?" She gulped.

"Yes. You know? Butterflies in your stomach? Your heart beating faster, your sweat glands working overtime, your face turning redder than a tomato. These are all common symptoms of love. They're quite beautiful."

"Well… how would you… you know… how to ask…"

"Is this about your dinner date with your mysterious wealthy clientele?" Rarity deduced precisely which made the pinkette turn red. "I'm right, aren't I?" She turned away. "Oh my. You're smitten!"

"What!? No~"

"Yes you are. Yes you ARE!" She insisted, poking at the party animal with a grin that practically wanted to burst. "Blushing cheeks, inability to form words, giddy stomach. You have all the hallmarks of a love in bloom!" Her eyes sparkled. "Well you have come to the right girl. Come Pinkie. This kind of talk requires sustenance and atmosphere!"

xxxxxxxxxx

The two of them arrived at the manicurist a few minutes later getting their nails done over a soothing chair and pleasant music in their ears.

"Ok I'll admit. This thing is relaxing."

Rarity knew that of course. "What better way to sooth one's mind, body and soul?" She grinned childishly. "Now that we're both relaxed and comfortable. Are you ready to finally reveal to me this mysterious date of yours?"

Pinkie sighed both in hesitation and relaxation. "I don't know…"

"Darling please. You're obviously confused. That's why you came to me for advice. I helped Applejack with her troubles so yours will be child's play."

"Really? Applejack told you about hers? Who is it?"

"Ah ah…" She waggled her finger. "Sorry dear. But these lips are sealed on that matter. I gave my word to keep it a secret and that is what I intend to do. But enough about her. This must be an all new experience for you." It is… it really is. "Come now sweetie. Sit back and unveil your deep little secret. I'll even Pinkie Promise never to tell another soul about it."

Oh that did sound like a good deal. It would also be nice to have someone to talk about this. She couldn't be sure of her own feelings anymore. Not when it came to him.

"Alright you convinced me." She submitted. "But just to be sure…"

Rarity rolled her eyes crossing her chest. "Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye." She returned with a soft caring smile. "There? Satisfied?"

"Very much so."

"Well then. Tell me quickly. Who's the lucky lad that snatched your heart? I've been going through my list for days now and the anticipation is killing me."

"Alright. But you gotta promise that you won't freak out."

"Darling please. This isn't my first girl talk. I doubt there's anything you can say that can possibly surprise me."

But when her answer came, it did bode as well as she expected it.

xxxxxxxxxx

...

...

"WHAT!?"

Rarity's voice boomed across the mall echoing far and wide like a shockwave. The whole structure lifted a centimeter, animals in the vicinity scattered in fear while the clouds themselves parted in the heavens shining a bright ray of light in the area. Cars crashed, the sea level lowered, and somewhere in Ponyville, her unicorn counterpart mishandled her sowing machine sensing a great disturbance in the force.

xxxxxxxxxx

"FLASH!?" Rarity panted heavily like she had spent all her air in that scream. She didn't even realize she was hyperventilating until one of the stewards handed her a barf bag and a glass of water to rehydrate. She gratefully accepted them breathing in. "AS IN THE FLASH SENTRY!?"

"I know I know!" Pinkie tried to calm her down but found herself panicking too. "It's weird!" Oh it definitely was weird, but not in the way she was thinking. "I mean me and Sunset's ex-boyfriend? How awkward is that?"

The fashionista blinked and quickly plugged her mouth with the glass of water not really trusting words at this point. Her brain was going through overdrive. A series of questions wrote themselves at the back of her mind while her eye twitched as Pinkie blabbled on about the seriousness of the situation and how Sunset would take it.

"R… right…" It took her a simple word to make her realize that she had finished the glass, and sadly not a single drop of it went in her mouth. "Refill!" She told the steward who answered with a panicked nod.

"So whatdaya think?"

_What do I think? WHAT DO I THINK!? I think I need a couch to fall on, and a double shot espresso extra strong just to keep myself from fainting!_

"Well… I see." Were the only words she was able to squeeze out. "S… so Flash Sentry is your… playdate? So… does this mean you two are now an… item?"

"Oh no. Not at all." Oh thank god. "He still thinks that we're just hanging out as friends. But… after going on two dates with him I was thinking that… I wouldn't really mind. You should totally meet him when he's on his date mode. He's really sweet, caring, loves my jokes and his mansion is amazing. It literally has everything you could possibly want. They have a whole room dedicated to shoes and suits. It's like a closet but… way… WAY bigger."

"Ahuh…" The sound of a large closet did intrigue her quite a bit but her brain was still fizzling out the works on the big question. "So… you really want to get together with Flash?"

"Well… kinda." Pinkie brushed her hair shyly. "Besides, both our parents are friends already and… he's really nice."

"Really? B… but he doesn't look like your type."

"I know, right? I mean, a party animal like me and a cool guy like him?" She sighed dreamily. "But there's just something about him that really gets me. Like… we have this… connection." Oh god. That face she's making. It's exactly the same as Applejack when she told her about her crush on Flash. It was like having the same dream but with different actors playing the same role.

"What I'm saying is that Flash might be… a big catch for a girl like you. Why don't you try something… closer to home? Someone you're comfortable with."

"Meh. Not really. It's not like I got people lining up to ask me out or anything." Pinkie turned up in thought. "Besides, I am comfortable with him. I mean we've been on two dates already."

"Two…?" She gasped suddenly making sense of it all. "Flash was the one who took you to the Huffs and Hooves!?"

"Yeah…" She admitted uncomfortably. "But their food was hard to say. I couldn't make sense out of a single thing on the menu. It was like reading a whole new language."

"Why… that's… wonderful."

"Hmm… maybe I can try Applejack's way. Cooking him something awesome! Like a triple crusted apple pie!"

"NO!" Rarity covered her mouth as she raised her voice a bar too high earning again, the attention of the other patrons and workers in the salon. Applejack mentioned about that confection she especially prepared for the boy. It was an absolute stunning story to behold. But if Pinkie copies it, it'll complicate things. "I mean. You really shouldn't bother. No two relationships are alike darling. What works for her may not work for you. Perhaps you should work with your strengths."

"But what else am I supposed to do? Throw him a party?" She paused in thought as if the idea struck her like a brick. "Yes! That's it! I should throw him a party!"

"No dear. No parties."

"It'll be awesome. I'll tell him that we're having a surprise party but in reality it's just the two of us. I'll have all his favorite things. And when the mood is getting good, I'll drop down a banner asking him to really go on a date with me! It all make sense~~!"

"Pinkie!" Rarity popped her imaginary bubble and brought her back down to reality. They were starting to lose focus. Even she was having a hard time keeping track of the main point. But still… it was time to pull out the big guns. Time to scare those thoughts away. "As happy as I am to see you breaking out of your shell. Need I remind you that Flash is Sunset's ex? Can you imagine what you have to go through for that?"

That seemed to have deflated her hopes a tad bit. "Yeah. I know. That's the only reason why I don't think it's such a good idea." Oh finally. She actually sees reason. "I mean… Sunset is my best friend and I like her a lot. But Flash is… pretty cool too." She sighed, thinking on the matter. "I know they've broken up like… ages ago, but it still feels weird to be going out with someone she used to date. I mean… there has to be a rule for that, right?" There probably is one out there but Rarity didn't have the time or the capacity to search for it. "I mean… is it wrong for me to feel this way for him?"

"Pinkie…"

"That's why I need your help!" She came up face to face. "What am I supposed to do with these feelings? Am I supposed to just run with it? Should I bury it in me and lock it up forever? Do I jump the hoop and say that I do want to have Flash Sentry as my official boyfriend? But if I do… what will Sunset say? What will everyone say!? Tell me Rarity! What. Am. I. Supposed. To. Do!?"

"Firstly… calm down." The fashionista told her, though she needed to listen to her own advice too. "Secondly… I… think this might be a little over my head."

"Oh come on!" Pinkie berated. "You helped Applejack with her problem. Why can't you help with mine?" The reasons for that are beyond volatile. "Please? I'm desperate here."

Oh dear gods Rarity. What did you get yourself into? If you knew this girl talk would turn into a three way one-sided love story you would've hauled yourself back to Applejack's place and call it a night. This is not what she signed up to do.

But… she dug her own grave. May as well sleep in it.

"Alright dear." She was definitely going to regret this. "Firstly… if I am to give you my most honest opinion. It would be to… hold it off."

"Hold it off?" Pinkie blinked, not really expecting that answer.

"Yes. You're obviously just confused right now as this is all a new experience for you. This blooming feeling in your stomach might just be… a crush. A love that comes and goes with time. Plus we also need to gather information."

"We do?"

"Absolutely!" Rarity's brain went through overdrive trying to sell her reasoning as best she could. "I mean this is Flash Sentry we're talking about. He's the coolest guy in CHS. I'm pretty sure he already has another girlfriend."

"Really? I haven't heard anything. He was pretty open about his relationship."

"As open as you with your first two dates?"

Pinkie blinked again then nodded. "Fair point."

"Exactly. So… why don't we take this time to settle things in? You can sort through your feelings and then maybe we can do some digging to see if he has a secret crush of his own. Once we have all the facts together then…" Her eye twitched. "We can see where things go from there… aheh."

"That… does sound reasonable." The party animal thankfully accepted that returning to her seat sighing with relief. "Yeah. Let's do that. Thanks Rarity. I knew I could count on you." She wiped the sweat off her brow. "Phew. Man… all this girl talk really pulled the steam out of me. You were right. It's nice having someone to talk to about this. We should do this more often."

_Yeah… sure._

Rarity leaned on her seat, her face already half way going mad.

_What in the world should I do?_

**(Rainbow Dash's house) (Later that evening)**

"Rainbow Dash, honey. Did you remember to pack your extra socks?" Windy Whistles reminded as her daughter brushed past her grabbing a sandwich from the fridge along the way to the front door.

"Got it mom."

"Don't forget your extra shirt and pajamas." She added with a giddy look in her eyes. "I packed your favorite one with Count Vladcula on it. And remember your toothbrush and extra toothpaste. Don't want you getting cavities while you're there."

"Relax mom. I'm only gonna be staying with Sunset for the weekends. And it's not like it's the first time I've had a sleepover at someone else's place."

"I know Dashy dear. But I just wanna make sure you clean yourself up. Oh! Maybe you should also pack some of your old toys just in case?"

"Those are action figures. Totally different." Rainbow pouted back. "Besides, my friends aren't into those kind of play. We're more of a video games people."

"I'm making sure you have a nice and pleasant stay so you can make tons of wonderful memories. Next year will be your last semester at CHS so I want it perfect. You know, your father and I had the best time when we were your age." Windy added longingly before a sly smile showed itself on her lips. "Speaking of friends. Why don't you bring that dashing gentleman over there inside?" She gestured out the window where her ride was waiting for her.

"Who? You mean Flash?"

"Flash? Is that his name?" Her mother cooed suggestively. "He's quite handsome. You really know how to pick'em."

Rainbow's face twisted in disgust. "What? Ewww! Mom! Come on. He's just a friend. Don't go twisting things into your imagination."

"Sorry hon. But you have to admit that you're in that age where you grow certain interest in other people." She reasoned back while her face turned like that of a granny with an agenda. "And to be honest this is the first time I've ever seen you with such a good looking fellow. What else is a mother like me supposed to think when someone like him drives you up to our house with a super fancy sports car?"

"Yeah well, it's not what you think. He's just a friend."

"Uh huh." Windy rolled her eyes. "And the fact that you're wearing matching jackets, doesn't hold any meaning whatsoever."

Oh snap! Rainbow Dash looked to herself and realized that she was still wearing the band's jacket. Her cheeks turned a shade of pink which fueled her mother's teasing engine.

"Th… this is because he asked me to wear it! We had band practice together! It's part of his gig!"

"Sure honey. Whatever you say." Windy coughed into her fist sarcastically. Not believing a single word of it. "Why don't you invite him in and I'll wow him with your favorite sandwich. Pasta and potato on sourdough. I'll even regale him on some of your childhood stories. Oh! I'll tell him of that time you put wheels on your canoe and called yourself the Pirate of the Roads!"

"Absolutely not! You are not telling anyone that. I forbid it!" Rainbow adamantly insisted. "And FYI, I was 8! I didn't know better!"

"It was absolutely adorable."

"Ugh… fine. I'll introduce you. But that's it. Just promise me that you won't blabber anything embarrassing when you see him."

Windy Whistles shrugged. "I'll try my hardest."

And with a sigh, Rainbow moved to the door and opened it but was surprised to see Flash already there with his hand up as if he was about to knock.

"Oh hey Rainbow. Are you really to go? The sky's getting kind of dark. I think there's a storm coming."

The girl nodded back in return. "Yeah. Just about." She opted to just up and go but her mother's big starry stare and index finger poking at her sides were insisting on the matter. With a deep sigh, she spoke. "Mom, this is Flash. Flash, this is my mom, Windy Whistle."

"Pleasure to meet you ma'am."

"Rainbow Dash didn't stop wetting her bed until she was 10!"

…

…

…

"Uh… what?"

"Mom!" RD panicked. "What the heck!?"

Windy covered her mouth on reflex. "I'm sorry. It just came out of me. I didn't mean to… do you want a sandwich? Pasta and potato~~. It's Rainbow's favorite." She pulled out a sandwich from the back offering it to the boy raising her eyebrows like a creepy candy man trying to lure innocent victims to the back of her truck.

"Uh… sure?" Was that thing even edible?

The embarrassed girl trailed her hand over her cheeks in frustration. Her mother was kind of a blabbermouth when it came to humiliating her daughter. She loved doing that just like her dad.

"You know, Rainbow Dash had a habit of sucking her thumb when…"

"Ok that's enough of that. It's getting late. Gotta go. Later mom. BYE!" Not wanting to wait and let her mother embarrass her further, Rainbow Dash quickly pushed the boy out the door and back to his car shouting 'Lalalalala' loudly to keep them from hearing anymore stories she may blurt out unconsciously.

"She was nice." Flash managed to say as looked back to her friend's house noting her mother waving frantically and shouting something akin to 'Come back soon'.

"Yeah. She's amazing." Rainbow Dash grumbled, an embarrassed blush creeping on her nose. "Sometimes too nice. And FYI, the bed wetting thing was because I always drink three glasses of warm milk before bed."

He chuckled before starting up his car. "Heh… ok."

"Thanks again for driving me to Sunset's place. I'd go on my own but… you know. High velocity and slippery sidewalks don't exactly mix." Yeah she mentioned crashing a few times already. "And my bike isn't back from the shop yet."

"No problem. It's the least I can do after your awesome performance." The boy sang her praises reminding them of their band practice an hour ago. "You weren't kidding when you said you were a natural. You practically got all the songs right on the first try."

"Well duh. I've been shredding my guitar for as long as I can remember. I can't help it if I'm just that good. I'm a lot of things and being talented is one of them."

Sadly being humble is not one of them.

**(Sunset's house) (Later that night)**

A small storm was brewing outside…

Sunset snapped closed her magic journal, putting down the pen after writing a lengthy message to Princess Twilight. It wasn't anything important or magic related. She figured she'd want an update on what was going on here in the human world. Applejack's farm, Rainbow Dash doing another stupid stunt, Fluttershy and her animals. The usual stuff. Of course she'd leave out all the problems. That alicorn probably had enough on her plate as it is. After all she was going to become the next ruler of Equestria. She can't exactly just drop everything just because her friend asked.

Still… the events of today have really got her thinking. Hearing that her best friend moving in with Timber made her realize that she… had no future around here.

When she first came to this world, her first sole purpose was to gain enough power to conquer all of Equestria. But after that incident at the Fall Formal, that dream was erased and replaced with just… well… living. She had been so focused on the present she never really stopped to worry much about her future.

Applejack had her farm, Fluttershy had plans to go on a trip to visit animal shelters across the world, Pinkie Pie had her party gig and her family business, Rarity dreams of becoming a superstar fashion designer, Twilight wants to move to Everton Academy and become the world leading scientist in magic, probably marrying Timber in the process, and Rainbow Dash had options to persue either music or a career in sports.

Granted Rainbow's future was vague but she definitely had a choice in that matter.

Regardless, it made her wonder.

What was she going to do after she graduates? Should she go to college like some of her friends?

Nope. Not happening. Way too expensive. She'll have to take like… six extra part time jobs just to pay for a single semester. Maybe she can ask for a student loan? No. If what she heard was right, those businesses will probably drain her bank account dry.

Maybe she can apply for a real job around here. She could… work for a big manufacturing company… or… a desk job… or maybe even… ah forget it. Who was she kidding? It took her months just to get acquainted with the system in school and even a heck of a lot longer just to get her first apartment. Changing her life from a student to an employee will be a difficult transition.

Ugh… what was she gonna do?

"SUNSET SHIMMER!"

"Mgyaahh!" The girl fell from her bed and down the ladder, hitting the floorboard like a brick. "Ow…"

"Oooh. Sorry." The formless voice hissed back painfully. "Are you ok?"

She turned over to the source finding her Equestrian phone line calling out to her. "Yeah. I'm fine. It wouldn't be the first time I fell off my bed and onto the floor." The redhead implied as she limped her way to the chair, groaning every painful step of the way. "Hey Starlight. Were you able to get the things I asked for?"

The pony on the magical music box nodded hesitantly. "It's kind of a tall order to get those artifacts. A few of them are in the Crystal Empire. But I'm sure Sunburst won't have too much trouble. He is the court wizard for Princess Cadance after all. It shouldn't take too long to get them delivered. But… are you sure you need all of them? That was a lot of stuff you requested and some of them are particularly dangerous in the wrong hoof. Twilight had those locked up for a reason."

"Don't worry. I'll be sure to handle them with care." Sunset reassured her. "I got a plan. And I'll be sure to return them once we're done with them. Speaking of which what's happening on your side? Anything going on in Equestria?"

"Well, I have some interesting news. Nothing major but we kind of had a little incident with Discord."

"The Lord of Chaos?"

"That's the one. Aheh." The purple furred pony replied in a strange singsong manner. "Let's just say he was cooking up a storm and it ended with a small village getting flooded with chocolate. Don't ask." She raised her hoof up in protest. "Speaking of which, looks like you got yourself a storm too." She gestured over to the window where it began to rain heavily. " Anyway. I got something for you." She pulled out a miniature scroll from nowhere and coughed into her hooves. "Quote: On behalf of Princess Twilight Sparkle, future ruler of Equestria and holder of the element of magic. She hereby, fully authorized by the court of friendship, to cordially invite you, Sunset Shimmer, fellow student of Princess Celestia and liaison to the human world, to her coronation in Canterlot Castle as her honored friend-slash-guest at the time and date of the first summer of next year. End quote."

"She wants me?" Sunset gasped, a mixture of amazement and shock filling her expression. "On her coronation day?"

"Yup. She wanted to invite you herself but then… Discord happened." Starlight grumbled lowly. "But isn't this great? You'll be standing with us at her coronation along with everyone. It's a very special and very limited position. And naturally you are allowed to bring one friend along. Twilight opted for more but the space in the castle is very limited and we really don't want to crowd the place. Trust me, it's practically hoof to hoof up there. But isn't it just amazing!?"

"Yeah… that's… awesome." Sunset tried to sound positive but her tone and expression didn't match her words, which did not escape Starlight's notice.

"Hmm… your mouth is saying awesome but your face is saying… something else." The small statue added. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just… really happy that Princess Twilight is finally getting crowned."

"Sunset. If there's anything I know, it's that when ponies are hiding something. Trust me. I've hidden a lot of stuff from my friends and it almost always never ends well." The Headmare smiled sweetly. "Come on. Lay it on me."

"I… don't really want to burden you with my problems."

"Oh please. I used to be the school's student counselor. I've got load of experience dealing with problems. I think I can handle whatever it is you're struggling with."

Sunset looked at her unicorn friend and hesitated for only but a moment. It would really be nice to have someone to talk to. Someone who had more experience in life. "You sure you won't mind?"

"I'm just waiting for Sunburst to report in. I have Trixie taking inventory of all of Starswirl's collection, and believe me, there's a lot of it. And we have no class today or tomorrow because of a festival in Ponyville. _Like we don't have enough of that already_." She whispered that last part to herself. "So I have all night. Why don't you grab yourself a nice cup of hot coco with marshmallows and take a seat? I'll be here to list down all your problems."

That… actually didn't sound so bad.

"You know… I might just need that. And I think I have a half-eaten box of cookies here somewhere."

…

…

…

"Wow… so Twilight's really moving in with Timber. That's a huge step for her." Starlight nodded proudly as her statuette sipped from her mug while she listened to Sunset explained the situation.

"Yeah… it is."

"And yet you don't sound too happy about it."

"What?" Sunset slipped off her hand. "No. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that… when I heard how Twilight decided to move in with her boyfriend, it… kinda got me thinking… about my life here in this world."

Starlight's eyes grew curious. "Really? How so?"

"Everyone is moving forward with their lives." She threw her hands up in the air like the world was ending. "All my friends will all get their own stories. Applejack will be working on her farm, and… Twilight's going off to Everton. But me? I… don't have anywhere to go."

"Yikes." The former counselor froze. "Oh… I uh mean… I see." She took another sip off her mug.

"I never really thought about my future before." Sunset admitted lowly. "What do I do once I graduate? Where do I go from here? I took my time here for granted, thinking that this whole thing with my friends will… last forever." She look outward into the snow covered city, sighing. "Sometimes I wish these days could… last forever."

"Hmm… that is a conundrum." Starlight nodded. "This might come as a surprise, but Princess Twilight was also in a similar predicament some time ago."

"She was?" That was surprising, considering she was literally the Princess of Friendship. "How did she handle it?"

"Not… entirely well. But she found a way nonetheless. She understood that regardless of what happens, their friendship will always stand the test of time. Moving to Canterlot can really stress her out. But in the end, I think she found the place where she was meant to be."

"Her place?"

"I can't really describe it with words. But the closest I can think of is 'Destiny'…" Destiny? That sounds like a cheap way to explain things. "A goal you set for yourself. Something to strive for. Something that you were meant to do. You want a place where you belong. Somewhere you feel at home, someplace you're always welcomed. For Twilight, it was her old home in Canterlot. As for me… well… I suppose this school is mine."

"That's… pretty vague."

"I know it's difficult to understand but I'm certain your place in the world is out there somewhere. You'd be surprised what life has to offer you." Starlight gave a sarcastic chuckle. "A few years ago, I never would've even begun to imagine that I'd be a guidance councelor or a Headmare of a school. But here I am. And honestly I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world."

"It must be nice having the world figured out for yourself."

"You'll never know what life throws at you. But I'm sure that your destiny is out there... somewhere. And when you see it… you'll know it. You just gotta look for it."

Her place in the world.

Kind of hard to find it when there are a whole lotta worlds out there.

"I guess that makes sense." Sunset accepted that excuse, easing her worries by a small margin. "Thanks Starlight. I needed that."

"Anytime." She nodded back before a thought suddenly popped in. "Oh! But if you're worried about the future, then maybe you can come here and teach at the School of Friendship!"

The former unicorn spat out her drink in her cup. "Me? Teach at your school? You can't be serious."

"I'm definitely serious. You're perfect. You have more in-depth knowledge about friendship than most ponies and you have a well-traveled practice on two seperate worlds. That kind of experience will be great learning materials for every-creature here." She smirked as she leaned in to whisper. "I'll even give you a good rate."

Sunset wanted to laugh it off but she also saw an opportunity there. She never imagined herself being a teacher before. In fact, she never thought of anyone taking lessons from someone like her.

"I'll think about it."

"That's great! I'm certain you'll make an excellent addition to our faculty. Why don't you come and visit and I can give you a tour of the place. And who knows?" She grinned. "You might just find your place in the world right here."

The redhead chuckled at the thought. "Heh. That might just be…" But she trailed off when lightning struck and her whole apartment went dark a second later. "Dang it…"

"Mwah!?" Starlight shrieked. "What's going on? What happened to the lights!?"

"Relax. This happens all the time when a storm this big happens." It had something to do with the electrical wirings around the neighborhood. Whenever the weather starts picking up like this the grid becomes wholly unstable. The landlord never managed to find the source of the problem. But thankfully it doesn't last more than an hour before the electricity to kicks back in. "Hang on. I think I have some candles around here… or a flashlight."

"It's spooky." The purple pony noted as Sunset lit a few of those candles decorating her table. "Hard to imagine you living here all by yourself."

She chuckled back again in reply. "It's not so bad once you get used to it. Especially when you have friends around."

"Aheh… yeah. Friends." Starlight tried to sound positive but again she flinched when they heard something fall close by. "What was that?"

"It's probably just the wind." She reassured her as she found her flashlight in the cabinets. "Hold on a sec." It didn't take long for her to find the object. Her half-eaten box of cookies. "Aha! Here it is. I knew I put you somewhere." She then quietly took a whiff off the top of the box sticking her tongue out in disgust a moment later. "Ugh… smells like it's passed its shelf-life."

Starlight eased up hearing that but then immediately tensed again when she caught something slithering in the dark. For a moment she thought it was just something akin to the human world's natural occurrence. That was until a pair of eyes opened up with tiny slit acting as a wicked smile.

"Sunset! Behind you!" Her warning came a second too late as the shadowy figure leaped in striking the redhead from behind. However, much to the creature's surprise, its claws didn't cut deep enough as it was restricted by the leather clothing the girl wore at all times.

Sunset fell, terror covering her face as the waggled favorite jacket with its claws. But she quickly recovered, eyeing the beast angrily. There was no doubt about it. Judging by its shape and size, this was definitely the monster that attacked Rarity. It didn't take the shape of a wolf like the one Cinch summoned, but that of a woman with a lower snake-like body with claws as hands.

Annoyed by its failed surprise attack, the shadow snake lady ripped the jacket from her arms, letting out a threatening hiss.

"Hey! That was a gift!" Sunset berated but quickly dodged when it came at her again taking quick swipes at her. She crawled on the floor and reached for her flashlight. "Alright magic. Get ready to meet the power of technology!" She then shined the beam onto the monster which sizzled its skin like a vampire meeting the sun. "Didn't like that, did ya? What's the matter? Can't handle a little light in your life?"

The shadow lamia hissed angrily like a ticked off cat. Sunset expected it to withdraw like others of its kind. But instead it just lung at her again, its claws ripping the flashlight in half.

Ok… so this thing wasn't playing any games. It really was out to get her.

"Don't think you're so tough just because you got claws." She grabbed her geode and immediately put her powers out. "I've been using magic since I was a filly." Her body glowed and the pony ears and tails formed, granting her all the might of Equestria. "Bring it!"

And just like that, the battle was on.

Sunset clashed against that lone shadow lamia throwing magic missiles and lasers, scoring good hits along the way. It retaliated with its claws but Sunset was good at dodging. Her old pony reflexes were kicking in making her more agile than usual. The monster's claw can't even find her much less touch her.

In the eyes of the audience, it would certainly look like a one-sided match.

"That's right Sunset! Give it to'em!" Starlight waved her hooves cheering on from the music box whistling and throwing words of encouragement like she was watching a professional wrestling match. "Give it a left… and a right! And a left… and a right again! Dodge it! And pow! Right in the kisser! YEAH! Show that shadow… thing… what you're made of! Woohoo!"

And bring it she did. The two sides clashed in that small apartment room like they were hell bent on burning the other to a crisp. They traded blows, shaking the apartment to its very core, all the while a few of the lit candles fell from their stands spreading small areas of fire in the vicinity.

Sunset flew onto her bed and threw down her pillows and blanket which the lamia easily shredded to pieces. But the stuffing and cloth spilled forth blinding the snake from her prey. And in that split moment the former unicorn blasted that monster with all her might sending it back to the darkness with a pained roar. Its skin once again scorched and bubbled up like pimples popping all over its body. Yet still it did not withdraw.

It breathed out a few times before it let out a terrifying howl which went an upsetting screech throughout the room.

Glass windows shattered letting the rain through ruining the once beautiful apartment, the curtains fluttered while the winds howled sending a deathly chill in the air.

Dang it. The landlord was gonna kill her when he finds out about this.

"Haaaa!" Putting her magic onto her hands, Sunset decided to change tactics and go in for a melee attack. She imbued her body with light making it impossible for the monster to even touch her at this point. And then in a moment of error, Sunset saw an opening and sent a magic blast knocking the beast on the floor. "Ha… how'd you like that? Had enough?"

But her triumph was marred by Starlight's voice who called out to her. "Sunset! The Portal Stone!" She snapped her head to her pony friend and noted another of those shadow snake girls tearing through her cabinet, reaching for the statue.

The ponified girl quickly dashed towards it firing another shot from her fingers making it retreat. It would've broken the portal stone had she not caught it.

"Phew… close one." She snapped her body around noting three snake ladies forming up. "Uh oh…"

"I think you might be a little over your head on this one." Yes Ms. Headmare. Any other useful advice you'd like to input in this situation!? "And I'm also thinking that this is the part where you run the other way." That was actually a good suggestion which her friend gladly took. "Wait! Don't leave me behind – or… at least not this music box! It took me a lot of bits to buy this!" Sunset snatched her and immediately bolted to the door.

The main entrance was just downstairs, in the hallway pass the kitchen. It should've been a quick sprint but that place turned into a death trap with the lamias giving chase, their claws slashing at her heels.

Sunset ducked and dodged, watching as all the furniture she accumulated get torn to shreds like cardboards. Her dining table, chairs, even the potted plants that was a gift from the landlord was not spared from their violence. She tried to fight back of course. But in a 3 to 1 fight, it was pretty much just a suicide assistance party.

**"You can run you can hide…"**

**"You can go far and wide…"**

**"But you can never cast us aside."** The shadows spoke in a snake like hiss, their sentences ending in rhymes for some bizarre reason.

Another swipe cut a swath through her kitchen stove cutting Sunset by the cheek leaving a shallow gash, damaging her beautiful face. She quickly retaliated with another hand blaster but it was weaker this time. Sunset looked at her hand feeling her magic being drained by some unknown force.

"That's… not good." The shadow monsters took that chance and immediately surround her swiping their claws. But the girl wasn't done yet. With one last push she pulled out what little magic she had left and cast a simple but effective light spell that acted as a shield for her. The girl fell on her knees a few seconds later feeling drained.

"Sunset! Get up!" Starlight panicked trying her best to get the girl on. "You can't fall now!" She looked up seeing the snakes approach. "Stay back! Back you shadow thing! I'm a certified genuine unicorn! I got enough magic in me to send you all back to the Stone Age!"

If they felt threatened by her words, they certainly didn't show it. Instead they loomed over closer, ready to strike the moment that little light of hers went out.

Sunset struggled to get back up but again she could feel her magic being syphoned. Something really was draining her magic and it was really… wait…

… why does she smell gas around here?

She turned to the whistling noise in the room noticing her gas range leaking. The recent fight around the room must've punctured the tank. And with the fire from the candles extending further… that could only spell doom for all.

Mustering what little strength she had left, the girl grabbed both the Portal Stone and the music box and bolted towards the window jumping and smashing through. Thankfully the cold wet snow that accumulated outside cushioned her landing giving her a worm's view of her little apartment before it spontaneously combust into a giant blazing ball of fire.

The sound of the explosion was loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood. Pieces of debris scattered across the streets, many of her personal items flying out, broken, bent or burnt from the flames arraying around the area like the worst kind of garage sale.

All that she strived for. All that she worked during her years in this realm… gone to the winds before she even had a chance to blink.

"Sunset!" A familiar voice tore her from the carnage making her turn her head to the road finding Rainbow Dash rushing towards her with her ex-boyfriend in tow. Both of them had a look that was equal part confused and terrified. "Are you alright? What happened!?"

"Sha… shadow." She was able to squeeze the word out of her lungs which rang alarm bells in their heads. They scanned the area but saw no shadow monsters anywhere. Perhaps the raging fire scared them off.

"We need to get out of here." Flash told them as he felt a sense of déjà vu on this whole fiasco. He quickly scooped Sunset while Rainbow grabbed the items she dropped.

The moment they were in the car, the boy stepped on the gas and drove off leaving the burning wreck behind as sirens of emergency services echoed in the distance.


	30. Sanctuary (Part 1)

**Chapter 30: Sanctuary (Part 1)**

**(Canterlot Hill Picnic Grounds)**

"Ow…" Sunset flinched back when Flash gently tapped the alcohol dipped cotton on the wound on her cheeks. It was painful but necessary.

"Sorry. Just… bear with it for the moment." The boy instructed bringing out the first-aid kit from his car. "We need to disinfect it before we put on the band-aid. It's not a deep cut so it should heal up nicely after a few days."

"I know… thanks." She gritted her teeth and decided to bear with the pain a little bit longer.

Being on this hilltop on the outskirts of the city gave them a sense of déjà vu. It served as a rally point for when things go bad. Rainbow kept a lookout while they stayed under the beam of a camp light. They can hear sirens in the distance wailing as the smoke from Sunset's apartment plumed in the night sky.

"I texted everyone to meet up." Rainbow spoke, already reaching the limit of her reasoning. "So I'm guessing that the shadow monster attacked?"

"Three shadow monsters actually." Strangely enough it wasn't Sunset who replied but the oddly talking pony dancing on top of the music box. "Hi there. Starlight Glimmer. We met some time ago. I was the one who saved you from the magic mirror dimension?"

"Right~" Flash wasn't sure why he was so surprised. He'd already seen the Pony world and a lot weirder magic than this. "And you're a… talking music box?"

"Nope. I'm a genuine pony from Equestria." She grinned. "This is an experimental spell. I know this is a lot to take in but do you mind turning off the music in this thing? It's not exactly fitting for the mood." The boy gladly did so stopping the pony from spinning around. "Phew. That's much better. It's easier to talk to you guys without doing a twirl every ten seconds."

"But why was Hoity targeting you?" Rainbow continued her questioning. "I mean… is he really out to get us?"

"What?" The name rang a bell in Flash's head.

"No not me… or us." Sunset groaned, gathering her strength to stand up. "He wasn't after any of us particularly. I think he was after this." She pointed at the Portal Stone which now strangely hummed with more energy than usual. "Rarity was right. He was after the statue. I'm not sure why but I'm definitely sure that was what he sent those snakes for."

Rainbow eyed the relic and tilted her head questioningly. "All that for this piece of junk?"

"That's more than just a pretty statue." The pony on the box reminded. "That's a Portal Stone. It's capable of teleporting you to just about anywhere. The magical configuration alone is far more advance than whatever Equestria can offer."

"Excuse me."

"It's a powerful relic." Sunset confirmed it. "And they were willing to go far to get it."

"Well if it's that powerful, then why don't we use this thing?" The jock gal lifted the statue up expecting it tear the fabric of time and space immediately. "I say we gather the gang together, pony-up and teleport ourselves right into that guy's hideout and take him down hard and fast. He won't even see us coming."

"Hello?"

"It's not that simple." Sunset snatched the stone away putting it back on the table. "For that thing to work, we need a functioning gate. It's… complicated. I'll tell you the details later."

"Why don't you just tell me now?"

"Because that'll take time!"

"HEY!" Having enough of being ignored, Flash snapped at them. "Can you please stop pretending that I don't even exist over here? You two arguing over a lot of things, yet I feel like I'm missing a boatload of context!"

Sunset shook her head, holding it in her hand. "Flash. I think it's best if you…"

"Oh no you don't." The boy swatted whatever stupid reason she had to say, frustration building up in his voice. "Not this time. I supported you guys because of what you do. But after what that's happened, I think I'm entitled to a little bit of information here."

"It's dangerous for you to know."

"Sunset! You almost got killed over there! Your apartment got blown to bits!" He raised his hands up, sadly not in exaggeration. "And it's not just you either. Applejack and Rarity got hit too. I think that speaks volume of how dangerous this whole thing is! Who else needs to get hurt before you get it through your head!? I want to help. But I can't do that if you won't open up to me."

"I'm trying to keep you out of harm."

"I think you should worry about your own safety before mine."

"Well you don't have to deal with evil magic 24/7! You think I want this!?"

"I'm thinking you could use an extra hand!"

Rainbow quickly intervened stepping between the two. "Whoa there. I'm not much of a pacifist but I think we're going off track."

"Oh~ you think you know how magic works around here!?" Sunset snapped back. "What? You think you're an expert now!? What happened to trusting me!?"

"I trust you to get yourself in trouble!"

"We can deal with magic!"

"What? Just like how you dealt with Cinch? Because that worked out well too, didn't it?"

"Oh~~ well sorry! I suppose that's worse than burning down a whole block because of your idiocy!"

"Hey! If it wasn't for me, you'd be a goner!" Flash snapped back. "What happened to you!? You're not just endangering yourself but also your friends! You're supposed to be smarter than this!"

"Guys! Chill! We're going nowhere with this." Rainbow paused, feeling weird inside. "Ugh… I can't believe I have to be the voice of reason here. But... I got to side with Flash on this one, Sunset."

"Rainbow Dash!"

She flinched, raising her hand up in defense. "Now wait. Hear me out here. You gotta admit that we might be a little bit over our heads here. I talk a lot of smack but this Hoity guy doesn't sound like someone who'll pull any punches. So it wouldn't be bad if we had some kind of backup, and Flash here is offering to help." She pointed to the boy in question who seemed to be fuming. "The least we can do is bring him into the loop. And remember: Your apartment just blew up to bits earlier."

Sunset froze up at the mention of her apartment.

Now that she calmed down and thought about it, everything she had in this world just went up in flames. Her money, her clothes, her game consoles, her collection of PostCrush memorabilia. Everything. All the material wealth she earned in this world turned to ash in the blink of an eye. Other than the clothes she had on her back, the Portal Stone, the black gemstone and the music box… she had nothing else.

Perhaps that saying of _'Don't look a gift pony in the mouth'_ had some merit around here. And right now having a super-rich ex-boyfriend could be her only quick ticket to a speedy recovery.

As much as she hated to admit it, she needed help. A lot of help.

"You're… right." She palmed her face, forcing that anger inside of her to take a hike. "This whole mess is… too much for me. And I… really can't do this on my own. If this is how far this secret society is willing to go… then I can't risk put any of my friends in danger too." Sucking down her pride she turned to Flash who seethed. "I know I'm gonna sound like a hypocrite but… Flash. I need your help."

Those words alone were enough to cool the fire burning in him. The boy let out a frustrated sigh not really meeting her gaze. "You got it."

"And I promise I'll tell you everything. But after we find somewhere safe. This place isn't exactly sitting well for me."

He nodded. "I got just the place."

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

A frown decorated itself on Hoity's face when he felt his minions slither back into his shadow. Disappointment marred his face. The Master will definitely not be pleased when she hears about the racket that they caused earlier tonight.

That damnable explosion could be heard all the way to Uptown. Though she did lift the discretion ban. That doesn't excuse the destruction that they wrought. First that fire that burned down a whole city block, now this? If this continues then the people might become suspicious of their activities. Their organization might be exposed because of him.

And to think he lectured Cinch about being brazen.

Now he looks like a fool who can't even take his own advice.

Oh well… regardless. As long as they have the stone then he was sure the Master would forgive him. Results were all that mattered in the organization after all. The fashionista star turned to his shadow expectantly until he heard one of them whisper.

…

…

…

"WHAT!?"

The three snake shadows slunk back into the dark, eyes furrowed in fear. The man's wrath seemed to inspire fear in them.

"What did I say about playing with your food!? I told you to recover the stone first! How could you fail!?"

**"The girl was careful."**

**"She was not powerful."**

**"Perhaps we were a bit… playful."**

"Silence!" They recoiled, two of them wishing to sink back into the shadow. Hoity rubbed the temple on his nose, frustrated. "I sent you three to do one simple task and you botched it harder than Cinch ever could. You make me look like a fool!" He sighed. "And where is the stone now?"

**"We… we do not know."**

"Then find it! The night is still young. They couldn't have gone far!" The lamias hissed and quickly scattered out of the store like fire was hot on their trail. "The Master will not be pleased."

**(Hillside house)**

It was about half an hour drive from the city before they saw it.

Just a little way pass the entrance of the Everfree Woods, through a dirt road and over a rickety bridge where the tree lines stop, was a lonely quaint little structure that seemed to have been abandoned.

Just beyond the meadow, on that hillside overlooking the beach and the great ocean below stood a house made of bricks and wood. Around that house stood a large open courtyard that must've looked beautiful at one point in time. And around that courtyard was a single line picket fence that had been worn down through time.

Flash drove the car up to the old cute looking mailbox and got out. His gaze fixed upon the structure that became larger the closer they got to it.

The house itself looked like it was built during the late colonial era before bricks and mortar became a staple use. It was surprisingly huge for a family of three. About twice the size of her old apartment by Sunset's rough estimate. Maybe even more. The first floor was made out of wooden planks with foldable windows. There was a porch on the front and back with small steps leading into the house. There was even a rocking chair to boot to add for that old timey atmosphere. And behind the house was a long winding staircase that led to the beach below the cliff.

This place was must've been paradise during the summer.

Opening the door inside, the three of them found the place to be downright spacious. Everything here was covered under a surprisingly thin layer of dust and cobwebs. Three comfy looking chairs and a long couch surrounded a small rectangular table all facing the fireplace which was the only thing in the whole house that was made out of stone. A few household decoration dotted the place. A lamp here, a bookshelf there, and a few scenery paintings hanging on the wall. Next to it was the stairway leading to the second floor, and beyond that was the dining room and a few more doors connected by a hallway.

"Wow…" Was all Sunset could say as her foot creaked on the old floorboard. "This is your old house?"

The boy gave a confirming noise before turning on his flashlight on his phone. "Yup. According to what my dad said at least. This is where we used to live before we moved into the big city. Apparently I was just a baby so I can't really remember much of the place. But I'm guessing it was pretty neat during its time."

"You were still in diapers?" Rainbow teased though her joke didn't leave them laughing. "Sorry. Not the time, I know. But I couldn't resist."

The redhead rolled her eyes and slowly walked in with Starlight literally in hand, both of them inspecting the place with curious eyes. "It's gorgeous." The pony commented. "Creepy beyond all reasons, yeah, but also… gorgeous."

Sunset agreed on that notion and was about to comment until her attention focused on the tall water colored portrait hanging above the fireplace. It was a family picture of sorts of the young couple that once lived here.

She immediately recognize Sombra standing in his light brow teacher's coat with elbow patches. He didn't look all that different from his current self. The slender well dressed woman sitting next to him, hands folded together, she could only guess was his wife.

"Is that… your mom?"

Flash pointed his light on the picture smiling softly. "Yeah. I think so. She's a lot younger here than most of the photos back in my place. I think this was painted before I was born."

Sunset couldn't take her eyes off her. The woman looked downright captivating. Her oval face was shaped without blemishes. She was like a sculpture chiseled from a stone and then smoothed down to the closest approximation of perfection. Those sweet caring eyes grabbed her attention complimenting her gorgeous long brown hair that reached her hip. And that smile? That smile would've made even make the coldest of hearts thaw like snow in the first day of spring. She could stand here and stare at it for hours

"She's beautiful."

He agreed. Yet sadly that face failed to produce any kind of memory in his mind. To him, that woman was just as a stranger as this house was. He thought that by visiting this place he would get flashbacks or something like heroes in the stories with amnesia. But then again that would just be asking for too much.

While he recall some bits and pieces there, nothing here seemed to jog anything. Not the place, the view or the beach down by the cliff or any other objects for that matter. Even his father who stood alongside on that painting felt distant and unfamiliar, unlike his goofy self that he knows today.

"Hey… Sunset." He spoke up just barely above a whisper. "Look. I'm uh… s-"

"No…" She replied casting an eye to the wall. "Don't be."

"It's just that when I saw your place explode and seeing you getting hurt… I… kind of got upset." He let out a sigh which did not escape her notice. "Things got bad before but it never got so close to home. And right now it scares me to see how dangerous your lives are because of magic."

"You don't know half of it."

"And you'll never be free of this danger as long as those shadow monsters are out there. And as long as you have magic… there'll be others who'll want them. Just like Cinch." He reached out, clasping one of her hand in his palm, realizing how small it was. "I don't know how things will turn out but always know that you have me to watch your back when things get hairy." He returned a softened smile. "What I'm saying is… no matter what happens… I'm always here to help. Just remember to call."

She returned the smile too, feeling some tension leaving her shoulder. "Thanks Flash. That means a lot. And… I'm sorry for snapping back at you too. I guess we're all just a little antsy. And… don't worry. I'll be sure to pay you back somehow."

He waved it off smiling sweetly. "Hey don't sweat it. And so… as my part in helping you. I want to offer this place to you and your friends."

Sunset gawk as her head jerk back in shock. "Wait. What?"

"You guys have been saying that you need a place to feel safe, right? Well I happen to have this big house that no one's using at the moment. It's got plenty of room, it's close to the city with easy access but far enough to keep out of sight. Not to mention that it has a killer view of the sea."

"Flash. You can't just give your old house to strangers."

"I can and I did." He insisted. Though his reasoning was a bit bare bones. What kind of a person just gives away a house this big? "Think of this place as your non-official clubhouse for you and your friends. Besides, it was just gathering dust anyway. And you and I are hardly strangers."

"And is your dad cool with this?"

"I'll just tell him that I'm using the place for the holidays." Flash gave her a casual shrug. "Besides, he hardly comes by anymore. If ever. So whenever you guys need a place to lay low, or someplace to feel safe. This house is free game."

It was a gift. Too big of a gift but Sunset couldn't find any reason to decline other than her pride. She had just lost everything and now her ex-boyfriend was offering a roof over her head almost free of charge. At the rate they were going, she'll be indebted to him for life.

"I… thanks… Flash."

He lifted her head up to meet his loving gaze. "Hey. What are friends for?"

She brushed the side of her neck looking longingly into the boy's eyes as old feelings crept from her heart. It got to them so quickly and they would've acted upon it had someone not interrupted.

"HACHOO!" The pony on the music box sneezed looking up. "Uh… sorry. Don't mind me. Please continue. I'll uh... come back later."

"Hey guys!" Rainbow Dash called out from the kitchen. "I found the circuit breaker." With a touch of electricity and a little bit of rumbling, the house suddenly buzzed to life with lamps and light bulbs illuminating the place. "Woohoo! Score one for modern technology! Take that Dark Ages!"

Sunset blinked a few times adjusting her eyes to the sudden brightness of the place. Even the pony in her hand rubbed her eyes to the sudden appearance of light. It was surprisingly well-lit despite its old age technology. But it wasn't long until she realized that the living room that they were staying in was a lot bigger than she imagined.

No… to be more precise it was more like a lounge than a living room. There were even a few more tables on the side and a drawer by the door.

"Whoa… how big is this place?"

"Very big." The boy confirmed it with a nod. "I think dad said he wanted to convert it to a bed and breakfast. But he scrapped that idea. I think he didn't have the heart to break this place down."

"Ah…" Rainbow bobbed her head in realization. "That would explain the other bedrooms I saw on my way to the kitchen. For a moment there I thought your folks had way too much time on their hands."

"And it's pretty big just for me." Sunset added with a bit of hesitation in her voice. "You sure your dad won't mind having others use it?"

Again the boy waved it off. "Please. This is nothing. I'd offer to rebuild your apartment but dad doesn't want me dipping into the family account again. He's still livid about the time I rebuilt Applejack's barn. Who knew that hiring a construction company would be so expensive?"

"Well at least we don't have to worry about any shadow monsters sneaking up on us here." Rainbow Dash nodded, admiring the light work this place had. "I like it. The question now is… what do we do? If we can't strike back at Hoity Toity, we have to do something about those shadow monsters of his at least."

"Light doesn't seem to be effective as it was before with Cinch and her wolves." Sunset noted to them. "He's definitely a lot stronger than her. Not to mention he also possesses the Memory Stone."

"Memory Stone?" Flash again questioned looking like someone who missed the prequel to a movie.

"It's a magical artifact. I'll tell you later. But Flash is right. We do need to do something. We need a safe place to stay for everyone and this place seems to fit the bill. We'll bring all our friends here and discuss our next course of action. Right now I'm just glad that I have a roof over my head. And I'm… tired."

"Me too. Who knew being scared can be exhausting?" Rainbow agreed. "Listen. I need to run by my place. I'm worried about my folks. If whatever attacked you is still out there, it might be out to get the others."

"I understand." Sunset nodded back knowing well how worried one can be about family. "Just be careful on the slippery floor."

"I will. Just need to watch my speed."

"And don't worry." Flash reassured them. "I'll keep an eye out just in case."

"You sure you want to stay with us after everything that's happened?" Sunset reminded him of her apartment which recently blew up.

"Relax. I'll be fine." He waved it off carelessly. "I got a flashlight."

That… didn't exactly make her feel better.

**(Equestria) (School of Friendship)**

Starlight let out a tiresome yawn as she walked through the halls of her school that night. She rubbed the side of her horn feeling her magic drained from her body. Casting a spell was easy. Maintaining a spell on the other hand was another matter. It required continuous focus and discipline but it was also quite taxing on the body. Having to hold a call between two worlds was brilliant on its own and there was no doubt Twilight would praise her for creating such a spell.

When the Princess gave her the task to assist Sunset in all manner of magic in the other world, she expected it to be a simple mission just like one of those friendship quests the Cutie Map often sends them to. But this was nothing like those assignments.

As the Headmare of the School of Friendship and the apprentice of Princess Twilight herself, she upholds all the value of every creature in every world. However... the word friendship doesn't seem to react much to the monsters that they faced. Whatever those shadow creatures were, they definitely did not have a shred of light in them.

Seeing those monsters up close really got her mane standing on ends. She was glad that they were stuck on that side of the mirror and not here.

Still... if her friend is being chased by something so dangerous, she'll need all the help she can get. That's why she's spending the better part of the night in the library trying to find whatever she can about these things. Perhaps even develop a spell to counter their devilish nature. But sadly, the school's library didn't have extensive information on anything regarding shadowy creatures. Heck even information regarding the Pony of Shadows itself, the literal creature of darkness, was limited to nothing but old half-baked prophecies and poems passed along generations of Equestrians.

"Behold best friend." A booming voice came crashing into the library which strangely enough didn't startle the Headmare. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived to assist you."

"Hey Trixie." She croned. "How'd you know I was here?"

"There is nothing that can hide from my powers." She boasted with a grin. "Plus I noticed the candle light. You do know the school is closed because of the preparations for the coronation, right?"

"I know. That's why I wanted to use this time to do a little research."

"More on those shadow monsters from the other world?"

"Yeah. But... it's not going so well. There's hardly anything regarding them at all. Not even the Pony of Shadows has any memorable tomes." The purple pony let out a tiresome sigh. "How's it going with the inventory check with Starswirl's stuff?"

Trixie rolled her eyes on the matter hinting that it did not go so well. "The short version would be to say that it's going very slowly. All the horsepower we have is going directly to the preparation of the coronation and the repairs on the damage Discord has done on that... 'Incident'. There isn't enough hooves around to handle all the delicate artifacts. And some of those ponies don't even want to handle these dangerous things. Not that I blame them. Did you know that Starswirl went to a world called the Empire of Mushrooms and collected over 200 different species of mushrooms all for his stew? Well I do... know it... now."

"Sounds fun."

"No... it was anything but fun. And the same can be said for your research as well." Trixie then magically snap the book Starlight was reading and piled it on the stack. "I think it's time for a certain Headmare to get her sleepy time. Come. The Student/Friendship Counselor Trixie will provide you with a nice cup of hot coco and a nice comfort blanket. And then you can tell me all of your troubles."

Starlight chuckled at her sales pitch. It was something she taught her when she became the new student counselor. "I suppose I could use a break. You wouldn't happen to have a little snack in your stash now, would you?"

"I clearly have no idea what you mean."

**(Hillside house)**

Flash kept a vigilant watch in the living room that night, lying on the couch eyeing the empty fireplace pretending to hear it crackle. Nothing but the howling wind and the rustling trees in the distance to keep him company. The storm outside was still raging on but it was tamer, calmer than before. He would guess that it wouldn't last more than another hour or so before disappearing.

Sunset had already gone to bed in the closest bedroom on the ground floor. The poor girl must've been frightened out of her mind after an attack like that. She's strong to be able to keep a brave image even after facing against such a dangerous opponent. Heck, all these girls are.

That one time where wolves tore his car on the streets were scary enough as it is. But these girls go through that kind of thing almost on a daily basis. To be able to stand even when beaten by such horrible foes is nothing short of incredible. If he had half the courage they had, he may as well be a hero of the ages.

Perhaps... perhaps he should've been like his dad.

Adventurous, brave and daring. His expeditions into the wild lands can be written into books that would make Daring Do look like a kid's lullaby.

He glanced upward and saw the younger version of his parents staring down on him. The image of his mother left little impact in his heart. She was definitely beautiful, there was no doubt about that. And he can see why dad would fall head over heels for her. But... there was nothing. No connections. It was like looking at the face of a stranger on the streets. they were a dime a dozen and he wouldn't give her more than a casual glance and then return to his original focus. It was just that kind of feeling.

"Hey..." The boy jumped when a voice snuck behind him making him reach for his flashlight and turned it on only to blind himself in the process. "Heh... you can turn it off."

"Ah... hi?" He spoke back looking like an awkward kid who got caught. "I thought you were asleep."

"I tired." Sunset shrugged jokingly, a blanket over her shoulder. "I couldn't."

"Oh... uh... want me to turn the lights on?"

"No. I just..." She casually joined him on the couch. "I just need company. Mind if I join you?"

He blinked then answered. "Of course! Sure!" It was cute how urgent he looked as he pushed all the pillows on her side like he wanted to make her as comfortable as possible. "You need anything? More pillows? Music? Food? I think I have some snacks in my car or some juice."

Sunset chuckled softly. "Actually... you mind if we talk?"

"Talk?"

"Yeah... talk. I just need something to get my mind off... what just happened."

"Talking..." He sat down thinking while twiddling his thumbs together. "Yeah... I can do talking. Totally. So how are you?" Open mouth, insert foot.

She gave it a thought, chuckling at his fumbling words. "Well... how about you... tell me a little more about yourself?"

"Me?" It was a strange question for him to answer. "Why me? You probably know me better than most people."

"In that one semester when we dated, I thought I knew everything there was to know about you." The girl reasoned. "But then recently I discovered not only that my ex-boyfriend was super rich but also owns a mansion in Uptown, has a dad who will soon become the new mayor of Canterlot, has connections with a lot of people, and did I mention that he's also super-rich?"

He laughed. "Well there's not much else to know. Other than the money and mansion. You already know everything about me. Like... what's my favorite color?"

"That's easy. Blue."

Flash made a comical buzzer noise. "Eeehhrrrr. Wrong. It's actually red."

"Red? Why red?"

He glanced at her hair for a moment to give her a hint. "Why indeed." It was enough to make Sunset's face turn red under her blanket. "Aheh... ok. Let's try another. What's my favorite snack?"

"Your snack? Umm..." She paused in thought. "Jelly beans?"

"That's _your_ favorite snack." He let out another laugh. "It's french fries."

"Huh... that would explain why you keep ordering them." Her cheerful tone was only hampered by her mood. "Guess you didn't score well in the girlfriend department."

"Hey don't fret. You got a lot of good traits left in you."

"Before the Fall Formal?"

"You were definitely a different person before you became the school meanie. Why else would I ask to date me?"

"I try not to think of the past."

"Well I do. All the time." He casually put down the flashlight, turning towards the unlit fireplace. "As a matter of fact. This kind of reminds me of our first date together."

Sunset's face poked out of her blanket yawning. "Flash. We've been through a lot of places together, but I don't think we've ever been to a cabin. Especially not being chased by a bunch of Shadow monsters."

"No. But we did go to the beach." The boy gave her a longing look. "Remember? It was the day after you and I found Bananas together."

"Bananas?" She exclaimed recalling that little rascal. "He's still with you?"

"Ever since we found him. I think he misses you a lot."

"I still can't believe you took him in."

"Well I wasn't going to let him soak in the middle of the streets. Besides... you looked like you wanted to take him in yourself."

"Heh... I do miss that little guy... and his stubby little nose. And his waggly... little tail..." She let out another yawn.

"Yeah." He let out a soft nostalgic sigh in return. "Anyway... we went to the beach together. We lost track of time somehow and nearly got back to the city late. We were so hungry that we swore that we'd stop at the first store that came to view. And luckily there was a bun place by the parking lot called..."

"The Bunbun."

He blinked. "So you do remember."

"I remember you and I ate so much of it that we kept hurling." Her eyelids slowly began to drop as she spoke. "Not exactly something I'd like to remember."

"Ok so it wasn't perfect. But I really loved that day."

"Flash. We were hungry and then we got lost driving back because you took a wrong turn."

"And I wouldn't change a single thing." He beamed. "Because that was our first official date. Sure it wasn't as romantic as either of us wanted it to be. But it was memorable. And when I look back at it, I remember that sweet girl I was with who had the widest smile in the world and the cutest little laugh."

"Are we talking about the same girl here?"

He turned to her and smiled. "Definitely."

Her face turned redder if that was even physically possible at this point. She shied away, covering herself with her blanket hoping to just disappear into its warm fabric. "You're delusional."

"Am I? Because I'm looking at that girl right now." Flash grinned. "And you know what? I think she got even cuter since then."

_"Oh for the love of Celestia."_

**(Sunday) (Morning) (Canterlot Mall)**

Luna let out a soft and pleasant sound as she strolled through the mall that morning feeling righter than rain. She drove her sister here a few minutes ago letting her go through several stores to pick out the perfect gift for her new boyfriend. Or... was it an old boyfriend? She did breakup with him and now they're back together so... yeah... old boyfriend.

Still, she didn't envy her sister one bit in this regard.

What were you supposed to get a man who metaphorically and physically had everything? Sombra was beyond rich if his lifestyle had anything to say about it. He had enough cars that can sponsor its own tour circuit, a mansion with all his needs provided and anything that can be bought or bartered. Heck, she wouldn't be surprised if he had the kind of connections that can net him some pretty illegal stuff too.

Luna suggested some rather provocative clothing or at the very least some saucy items on the discount rack but she didn't think that Celestia would go for something that raunchy. Her sister had an image to uphold.

So while Celestia was out getting her gift, Luna decided to once again enjoy her vacation. The preparations for the Winter Holiday party was being handled already so there was no need to hurry. She can't even remember the last time she went window shopping in the mall.

Oh… speaking of window shopping, her eyes suddenly snapped to a nearby bookstore where an old book was put on display.

Legend of the Storm Prince.

She recognized the title from the back-when times. It was some cheesy fantasy story with an obvious plot. But the characters inside were truly fleshed out.

"Oh now there's something you don't see every day." She gasped excitedly. "And on sale too." If that book was on the display window with a sales tag. That could only mean that it was the last one left. Quickly she darted into the store brushing pass a few patrons along the way. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry. So sorry. Sorry. Hey! Stay out of my way you little brats! I'm a Vice-Principal! Don't make me call your parents!" That was enough to get the folks to part way for her giving her a clear line to the window display.

But when her hand reached over to the book, another one had its fingers on it.

"Excuse me." Luna gestured politely to the mysterious gentleman who jerked his hand back.

"Oh no. It was my fault." He nodded back before they both reached for the same book again, this time eyeing each other suspiciously. "Aheh… I'm sorry. But I believe you have my book."

"No. I believe you have MY book." She retorted, putting more strength in her hand. "I had my eye on it first."

"But I had my hand on it first."

"We both had our hands on it at the same time."

"Then I invoke the power of dibs."

Luna gasped. "Dibs? What are you? Ten?"

"It's called being young at heart. Something an old crone like you would never understand."

"OLD CRONE!?" Oh now you've done it buster. "I'm hardly above my prime!"

"Still past it dear." He pulled a little harder which she responded in kind.

"Don't you know that people like you should respect your elders!?" She paused to think on that sentence when the man flashed her a sarcastic grin. "Which I am not!"

"Ha! Too late. Already said it, grandma."

"Hand it over!"

"Not in this lifetime!"

"Hey! I'm a Vice-Principal so you will do what I say!"

"I got you beat on that too. I am the Principal of Crystal Prep!"

Crystal Prep?

The name made her pause loosening her grip on the book just as the man heaved once more making him stumble back and lose his balance. He fell headfirst on the bookcases creating a literal domino effect that made a whole mess of the place. Books spilled from their places piling onto the unlucky fellow below. One hardback book in particular slid down from its stand slamming against his head with a loud defining thud.

"Ow…"

"Sombra?"

The man looked up suddenly noting a familiarity in her face. "Wait… Luna?"

xxxxxxxxxx

"I am so sorry about that." Luna apologized for what must've been the ninth time. It was fine, probably, since it showed how much she meant it. "I didn't meant to drop a pile of books on you. I'm really sorry." Make that ten times.

"Don't be." The raven haired gentleman laughed. He sat on his seat, a pack of ice held against his head numbing the bump that he suffered from that literary assault. Thankfully some of his wavy hair cushioned the blow sparing him any permanent damage. "I should be the one apologizing for not recognizing you sooner. The hair alone should've given you away."

"I can say the same for you." She folded her arms returning a cocky smirk, the bookstore now a distant memory while they sat in a random café. "I thought you hated it keeping that thing long."

"I did." He groaned, tracing his finger through his hair. "But Sophie insisted I keep it long. She said that it adds a sense of regal and respect to me. She often tries to write me off like some kind of king. Plus she liked to play with it when we were together."

"Oh yeah." Luna bobbed her head recalling an old memory. "Now that you mentioned it she used to do my sister's hair too. That would explain a lot." She paused. "I suppose everyone has their kinks."

"Hers just happens to be stranger than most." They shared a laugh together, reminiscing of the good old days. "And what about you?"

"Me?" The lady blinked questioningly. "What about me?"

"What have you been up to these days? Lesty told me that you worked alongside her as the Vice Principal of CHS. I can't imagine you settling for a teaching job."

"Oh really now?" She challenged him. "And what were you expecting me to be, hmm?"

"Well for one thing: I remember you kept bragging that you'll be running your own business by the time you graduate." Sombra shrugged back comically. "That or traveling the world."

"I travel."

"School fieldtrips don't count."

"Hmph!" Oh god. Her pout was absolutely adorable. And it's not like she could compare achievements with the guy. Tossing that question back was like stepping on a landmine she set herself. The guy was a gosh-darn millionaire who owns multiple properties around Canterlot, is the Principal of a famed academy and was bound to win the next mayoral election next year and become the ruling head of the city.

"Fine. So I may not be as successful as you but I find my life to be very fulfilling. Being a teacher is its own reward." That didn't sound as convincing as she made it up to be.

"Really?" Sombra took interest.

"Yes. But enough about me." She directed the attention back at him. "What's the future mayor of Canterlot doing at the mall at this time? Planning to buy the place?" And considering his wealth, that wouldn't be an exaggeration either.

"No. Nothing so drastic." He laughed it off like it was some kind of joke. But his words stated otherwise. "I'm actually gift shopping."

Luna's brow rose. "Oh? Getting my sister something?"

"What? No no. I don't think gifts are appropriate at the moment. I'm actually looking for something for my son."

"Flash?"

"He's the only one I have." Duh. Of course it's Flash. Who else could it be? "The problem now is: I don't exactly know what to get him."

"Having relationship problem with your son?"

He brushed it off. "No. Our relationship is actually quite healthy if I must describe it. It's just that we haven't exactly had time to talk to one another so I'm... a little in the dark on what to get him." Sombra then eyed her. "You wouldn't happen to know, would you?"

Luna cupped her chin in thought. "Well, he's into music and movies - and a little bit of sports. Does that help?"

"No. He already has his own guitar, a large collection of posters and movies for our record room, and a car of his own. I doubt I can add anything to that. Perhaps... you can help me find it? We can discuss it over lunch."

"Fine." She agreed strangely quickly. "But you're paying."

"Me? Why me?"

"Because there's this expensive pasta place that I've been dying to try and a poor old lady like myself can't really afford it."

Sombra groaned back annoyingly. "I'm paying for that 'Old crone' comment aren't I?"

"Yup."

What a petty woman.

**(Hillside House)**

That little house overlooking the sea hadn't heard a commotion like this for god knows how long.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, visitors freely entered its humble abode filling its empty halls with the bustling sound of life.

"Darling. I am so sorry about your apartment." Rarity cooed over to her friend who had lost much of her material belongings giving her a loving hug. "But I am so so sooo happy that you're alright. Honestly darling. When Rainbow Dash told us what happened we were practically livid. Thankfully I was as calm as a cat the whole time."

"Oh that's a hogy baloney." Applejack scoffed, rolling her eyes at her. "You were so worried you were practically running around the house like a cow with its tail on fire. I had to hose you down with the cider spray to calm you down."

"And mess up my favorite pajamas. Thank you very much."

Sunset opened her mouth to speak but was stopped when Pinkie Pie shoved her a tray of treats. "Can I offer you a complimentary Cheer-you-up-Cupcake?" She offered with a soft smile to which her friend gladly accepted.

"We're all just glad that you're safe." Fluttershy cooed, holding onto Sunset's shoulder in assurance. "Even Ray was worried about you too so I brought him over to keep you company." She brought out the pet lizard which gleefully nuzzled on the redhead's cheeks. The little yellow fella had been staying in the animal shelter for quite some time now. Sunset wanted to bring him home but she didn't have the ability or capacity to care for another life. At least not yet. "He says that he misses you a lot."

"Aw… I miss you too buddy."

"I still can't believe that Hoity would go so far… and all for this thing." Twilight still couldn't wrap her head around it while her hand shivered over the Portal Stone. "We need to keep this out of their hands. At least until we know what to do with it. When I saw your apartment on fire, I was really scared. I tried to call you but your phone kept going to voicemail."

"Yeah. Kinda left my phone in the apartment. Along with everything else. I'm just glad those shadow monsters didn't go after any of you guys."

"Me too." Fluttershy shivered at the thought of having creepy monsters attack her in the dead of night. It got so bad that she had to sleep with a flashlight under her pillow. "I don't know what I'd do if that would happen to me."

"We're with you on that Sugar Cube. Though I gotta say that you got a sweet deal over it." Applejack gestured to the fancy gig she was given. "You got to stay at one of the nicest looking place I've seen in years. And believe me, Uncle Cobbler's place is pretty fancy."

"Flash was offering so I thought I'd take it. Besides, it's only temporary. Until I find another place I can rent for cheap."

"I'll loan you my brother's binder." Twilight offered. "But the bigger question is… what do we do now? We're not just gonna strike back at Hoity, are we?"

"No… we stick to the plan." Sunset stood up, turning to her friends. "We've been talking about finding a place for all of us to feel safe. Well Flash was generous enough to offer this big house for us to use."

"This whole place?" Fluttershy gasped. The house alone didn't look all that impressive on the inside but you can imagine it would cost a small fortune to a buyer.

"Yup. I thought maybe we can convert it to our non-official club house."

"Does that mean we get to check in one of those private rooms?" Rarity asked eyes gleaming. "If so then I'm definitely in. Though this place will need a bit of sprucing up before we can consider it livable."

"Everything but the big bedroom upstairs is free game. So if anything happens we'll use this place as somewhere to lay low."

"Finally decided to take his hand rather than swat it away like you always do, eh Sunset?" Applejack added earning chuckle from the gang and an embarrassed look from the redhead. "But I'm in. It'll be nice hanging out together like this. And if this shadow monsters are tougher than the last batch then I'd rather fight them here than at home. The last thing my folks want is another burnt out barn. And I don't think Big Mac can take another hit like that. So yeah. I can see myself moving in. Speaking of Flash… where is he?"

"I sent him and Rainbow Dash to take care of a few errands for me. But like I said, we have free reign of the house."

"Oh OH!" Fluttershy raised her hand up like a student in class. "Can I have the room at the back? I like the view of the ocean."

"Dibs on that one too!" Pinkie followed suit pulling Fluttershy in a bear hug. "Roomies for life!"

"Deal. Anyone else?"

"Me." Twilight raised her hand next. "As much as I like to stay with you all here. You guys do know I'm still moving in with Timber, right? I can't just bail on him on the last minute."

"Twilight. This is to keep all of us safe." Sunset reasoned. "Do you really want Timber to experience a shadow monster attack?"

"No… but I kinda made a promise with him already. And I really want to try it out. You know? Like a trial run."

She had a point there but that wasn't a good enough reason to put someone else in danger.

But then Sunset grew a smirk. "Well… I guess we won't be using the library wing around here."

Twilight froze. "Library wing?"

…

The girl was led to deeper end of the house through a door that led to what looked like the study room. An array of bookshelves revealed themselves before her with all of its tomes of knowledge decked out for her viewing pleasure.

Sunset eyed her best friend giving her a knowing look. "Well? What do you think?"

"I call dibs on the middle room." She answered not taking her eyes off the room for even a second.

Pinkie let out a cheer blowing a party whistle. "Awww yeah! You all know what this means?" She grinned at them expectantly. "Cleaning montage! Hit it!"

**A/N: Please play Keke Palmer: We are Family**


	31. Sanctuary (Part 2)

**A/N: Attention. I'm putting this super short chapter up extra early due to some time constraint back home. I'm now moving to a new place away from the city. Shouldn't take more than a few trips between. Hopefully it won't interfere with my writing. But until then, stay safe, wash your hands and stay clean yo!**

**Chapter 31: Sanctuary (Part 2)**

**(Hillside house) (One house cleaning montage later)**

Sunset nodded proudly as she looked at the state of her new temporary home. Compared to what she had to sleep through last night this place was looking a heck of a lot better than before.

Thanks to the help of her friends and a little bit of help from magic they were able to turn the old hillside house to a place where it was actually livable. All the dust and cobwebs were taken away (With Fluttershy's permission of course), Twilight took out the bed sheets that have been left unattended for years to wash and dry outside, and even the white picket fence around the house was mended thanks to Applejack's basic knowledge of repair. Pinkie was of course, naturally selected to deal with the kitchen.

The house would probably never return to its former glory. But after giving it a thorough cleanup, Sunset would say that this place must've looked pretty beautiful during its time. She can imagine how the old pair would've had so much fun here especially when summer rolled in. They'd take strolls on the beach below the cliff or simply watch the sunrise on the porch.

"Wow…" A familiar voice echoed from the entrance alerting her to the new arrivals. "Did Spring Cleaning come early?"

She chuckled. "We thought we'd give this place a little facelift if we're gonna be staying here for a while. Seems like the least we could do."

The boy laughed back in approval. "Well it certainly looks a lot better the last time I was here." Which wasn't really that long.

"It helps when you have magic to do all the heavy lifting." Sunset reminded gesturing to Twilight who was levitating all the dusty objects out to air in the backyard and Applejack who easily lifted planks of wood with one hand while snacking on an apple with the otehr. "Speaking of which, what took you so long?"

"Yeah. Sorry. We had to stop by a few places before we got to it." Flash rubbed the back of his head in apology.

Rainbow Dash came by a second later handing her friend a surprisingly heavy suitcase. "Here ya go. All set and done. You can thank me later."

"Gah!" Sunset struggled with it barely lifting the darn thing. "What in this? Bricks?"

"No silly. Those are my old clothes. I figured with your old place getting torched, you could use a totally awesome new wardrobe." She gave a finger gun salute. "Trust me. You'll be 20% cooler wearing these gigs."

"Speaking of your old apartment…" Flash cringed. "We stopped by the place as well to see the damage."

Sunset's face froze up. "And? H… how bad is it?"

It took a few seconds to come up with the word. "To be honest it's… not as bad as you think."

"Oh yeah. It's totally way worse." Rainbow threw it over much to their displeasure. "The whole thing was burnt down to the last scrap. The storm last night only saved pieces of the support. But on the flipside, you have exclusive rights to a whole heap of charcoal."

Ah… Apple Fudge.

"Nothing?"

"Sorry Sunset." Flash shook his head, sympathizing with the girl. "The firefighters looked it over and they said that there was nothing they could do. By the time the emergency services got there it was too late to save anything."

The girl was distraught. But at the same thing she didn't really expected much out of it. That kind of explosion wouldn't have spared much anyway. But deep down, she still hoped that she could return to that place. It wasn't exactly the best apartment in the world but it was a place she called home for the last few years.

"They did find something in the wreckage though." Flash continued earning a glimmer of hope from the girl as he produced a familiar journal from his back. "It was the only thing that survived." She clutched the book on her chest, feeling a tad bit relieved that something survived. Sunset could only guess that the magic within its pages protected it from the fire otherwise it would've been the first thing to go.

"Thanks you two." She appreciated their effort.

"We also talked to your landlord." The boy added once more much to her dismay. "He was not happy. Thankfully the authorities are blaming the whole thing on faulty electrical wiring, poor maintenance and the storm last night, so there shouldn't be any questions regarding the incident."

"Ugh… I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I should probably call the landlord too. Maybe I can make the rest of the payment later."

"Oh you don't have to worry about that." Sunset looked at him questioningly not noticing the startled look Rainbow had on her face. "The landlord was pretty livid. But he said that you don't have to worry about making your pay. He was actually more worried about you."

"He was?" Strange. That doesn't sound like the money grubbing owner she lived with.

"Hmm…" Rainbow Dash looked like she wanted to say something but strangely enough decided to keep her mouth closed.

"Yeah. He said that that he had it all covered." Flash tilted his head in thought. "Something about having insurance on the place." Ah… there we go. That made more sense. "Anyway… we also brought you that thing you asked for." He pulled out a cardboard box and placed it on the table by the fireplace. "It was right on time too. When we reached the portal in front of the school, it… just magically appeared."

"Yes! That's what I've been waiting for." Sunset exciting opened the large box revealing an assortment of items inside and… rocks?

"Uh… Sunset. Did you ask your friend on the other side to deliver stones?" Rainbow Dash didn't look all that impressed or happy about using transdimentional delivery service just for common rocks.

"Not stones. Magic rocks." She corrected. "I've been thinking about how to defend ourselves from the shadow monsters and keeping them from sneaking up on us like before. I talked it over with Starlight. We both agreed that the best way to defend against creatures of magic is by taking away their magical abilities." She held up one of the fancy looking rocks, seeing it glow with a strange power. "These shards she brought are made from Queen Chrysalis's Throne, a Changling tyrant who wanted to conquer my world with her slave army."

"Sounds like someone I know." Rainbow coughed, jabbing the former unicorn.

"It has anti-magic properties, which I can attune to prevent uninvited guests from slithering in. With a little adjustment and time, I can surround this place with a literal invisible barrier. No one will be able to enter without our permission."

"Whoa…" Rainbow Dash threw away her first impression and gawked in awe at the stones. "Ok… that does sound pretty cool. But what about these things?" She gestured to the trinkets that came with the stones.

"These are just a few artifacts that I asked for. With our magic geodes limited to our own capabilities and our opponent stronger than ever, we're going to need all the help we can get. And these things are going to give us the extra edge." Sunset pulled them out as the gang clamored in with attentive gazes.

"Oooh I like this one." Rarity pointed out to the cape made of fine wool.

"Clover the Clever's Cloak." She declared. "He used it during his 7 Trials to avoid and subvert his enemies. He enchanted it with the power of invisibility." And just as Rarity put the hoodie part over herself she magically vanished into thin air.

"Ooooh! Yes! I'm definitely keeping this one." The fashionista stated giddily as she reappeared in the corner of the room a few seconds later.

"Why in tarnation would you want that?" The cowgirl questioned with a curious brow raised at her. "I thought you like people looking at you. Isn't that thing the opposite of what you want?"

"As much as I do crave attention darling, we celebrities aren't perfect 24/7. With this little cloak I can hide myself from the world just in case I have a… bad hair day."

That sounds about right for her.

"This one looks pretty." Fluttershy came next pulling out a silver bracelet with a sapphire embedded as the centerpiece.

"The Windigos' Hooflet." The former unicorn named it. "It was made by the old smiths of the Pegasus Kingdom after the Windigos were defeated. All that remained from their ghostly visage became one of the purest crystals. Anyone who wears it can control the very air itself. It's a difficult thing to master. I tried it once before when I was Princess Celestia's student. It was not pretty. I ended up creating a mini-tornado in the public library. It took the faculty months to put everything back in order."

"And this thing?" Twilight asked next pulling the third object in the box which looked like a thinly strewn together tiara.

"That's the Crown of the Four Fools. It was a gift from the Dragons to Princess Celestia. It creates a perfect duplicate of the wearer which follows your every command. So you can literally be in two or three places at the same time."

"Cool~" Pinkie yoinked it. "So I can literally have 50 of me around? I wanna try it!"

"NO!" The girls protested in unison, confiscating the crown from her immediately. The thought of having two or three Pinkie Pies walking around was a nightmare fuel they didn't want to feed.

"Let's not do that." Applejack exclaimed. "These gizmos sounds pretty powerful. It might just give us some advantage against those shadow monsters. But I'll feel a heck of a lot safer if we can take down Hoity. I don't like it knowing he's still out there plotting his next move."

"True. That's why we need to be prepared for every eventuality. And having this place as our temporary hideout is the first step."

"And it's not like we can just confront him." Twilight reminded them. "A celebrity like that will definitely have an entourage everywhere. We need to find a moment where we can catch him alone."

"Good luck with that darling. Hoity Toity runs a very strict business. He hardly ever leaves the store if at all. And his secretary stays next to him all during the day. The only way you're getting a one on one talk with him is by hosting a TV show and have him cast as the guest of honor."

Pinkie gasped.

"We're not doing that."

"Aww… but I wanted to make a TV show. And we can call it 'Hello~ Pinkie Pie'!"

"No."

"We can even have guests from…"

"No…"

"Aww… boo."

"How about this one? This one looks pretty cool." Rainbow reached out but Sunset snatched it first.

"Don't touch that one!" She snapped, clinging onto the amulet tightly which earned her the confused look of her friends. "Sorry. It's just that this one is a little more fragile than the others. I'll give you the full detail on it after I make some adjustments. In the mean time we should probably get settled in while we still have daylight. I'll work on setting up our new barrier. Can you guys handle your own rooms?"

"Oh oh!" Pinkie spoke up. "I call dibs on the one next to the kitchen!"

"I will have the second one upstairs. The lighting there is just perfect for my new workshop."

"I call the room next to that!"

And just like that the gang dispersed quickly with Flash in tow leaving Sunset alone for a moment. Once she was certain that they were gone, she let out a sigh as she took a quick glance at the red and black amulet in hand. Out of all the artifacts she asked from Starlight, this little decorative jewelry is perhaps the most powerful of them all. The magic inside of it can probably turn anyone into a mage rivaling the most talented unicorns throughout Equestria, though at the price of their sanity.

While it was indeed pretty to look at. The alicorn figure left a rather sinister taste in its aesthetics.

**(Canterlot Mall)**

Luna left the restaurant with a satisfied smile on her face and a full on stomach. The pasta in that place was definitely worth the wait. The salad was a little dry but she still loved all of it. Even more so seeing as she didn't have to pay a single coin on the meal.

"You know, for a woman of your size, you eat a lot." Sombra commented, throwing a generous tip to the cashier who seemed very grateful for his generosity.

"I need a full stomach to work my brains." She reasoned while she stretched her arms out. "Besides, you were the one who said I could order anything."

"I didn't think you'd order the most expensive thing on the menu!" He barked. "Honestly. I was beginning to think you were going to order 1 of everything after you inhaled the garlic bread. I don't think I've spent so much on a meal."

"Oh please. Like you have problems with money. And admit it, you had fun too."

"Oh yes. I enjoy it when other people stuff their faces with sauce." The wealthy archeologist added pulling out a napkin to wipe a leftover stain on her cheeks. "At least the conversation wasn't a complete lost." He took a quick glance at his watch and nodded. "I still don't know what to get Flash."

"I still think having his own private yacht is the right way to go." The Vice-Principal admitted. "Think about it. Cruising the sea in the spring and summer, not having to worry whatever happens on land. Sipping on a cool drink while having a suntan.

"This is for my son, not your grandiose illusion." Though Sombra did consider it if he could see Flash having a fine time with Pinkie on a yacht. "Besides, I don't think Flash has a pungent interest in the sea."

She chuckled softly in return. "Alright jokes aside. Just don't think too much about it. I'm sure he'll love whatever it is you get him. Remember, it's the thought that counts. Why are you so hung up on a gift anyway?"

"I'm trying to make up for all the years I haven't been with him." Ah… right. That actually made sense. "I've been gone for a long time Luna. And coming back to his life so suddenly has been kind of… overwhelming sometimes. I want… I want to make it right. And the perfect gift is the right way to rekindle our relationship. What are kids into these days?"

"Why not get him clothes?" He gave her a disapproving look. "No. You're right. A kid like Flash would never enjoy something like that. How about something he can use? Like… a new phone or a game console."

"That could work. Flash has been meaning to get a new phone. I could stop by the store and get him one." Sombra looked over to the electronic store eyeing some of the latest models. "It shouldn't be too hard."

"Whoa, easy there. Do you even know how to pick a phone?"

"How hard can it be? I just buy the most expensive one."

Luna face palmed herself. Only the rich can say such a thing without so much as a hint of humility. Damn upper-class and their wealth. If Celestia and him ever get together, she's gonna ask so much.

"Why don't I help you? It's what I'm here for."

**(Hillside House)**

"I know this is a bit sudden Timber. But this is for your safety too. Not just mine." Twilight stated as she paced around the library of the clubhouse taking mental note of the amazing collection of books while simultaneously talking with her boyfriend on the phone.

_"It's just that you kinda got the drop on me here."_

"I know. But I don't want to risk you or your apartment either." She reasoned back, eyes clicking over to a particularly fancy book at the end of the rack. She gave it a tap and eagerly awaited for the moment she gets to read it. "Besides, it's just temporary. The moment we sort this all out, I'll be staying with you on the weekends just as we planned."

_"Yeah… I guess so. But I'm also kind of worried. Maybe I should hang out with you instead?"_

"Not while those shadow monsters are after us." Definitely not when the whole gang was here either. "Listen. I know that you put a lot of work on preparing that room for me and I really love it. But right now this magical phenomena has to take priority."

_"Of course. I… understand."_ His voice seemed hollow and sad.

"Don't worry. This is just a temporary setup. It shouldn't take more than a week." Her eyes lit up when a thought came to mind. "How about this? We're still up for that getaway you planned for us at Camp Everfree, right? Maybe after this whole debacle is done, we can take a trip down there a little early and watch the Winter Solstice together. It'll just be the two of us until the end of the year. No magic, no other friends." She paused. "Ok maybe Spike. But that's it. I promise."

The boy on the other line let out a chuckle. That certainly cheered him up. _"Alright. I'm a patient guy. I guess I can wait a little longer. I'm gonna hold you on your promise though. How about we meet up later for dinner?"_

"You got it." She snapped her head back when she heard a knock coming through the door. "Oh! Hey Flash. Come on in. Just put those right there."

_"Wait… Fl—"_ He was cut off a second later.

xxxxxxxxxx

In his apartment, Timber's nose suddenly flared as jealous anxiety built up in his body. With a frustrated mumbling he tossed his phone to the table clattering the nearby plates.

Angry grunts and groan spilled from his lips as he tried to bury that anger. That blue haired boy was really starting to get on his nerves.

xxxxxxxxxx

The blue haired boy gently put down a medium sized cardboard box filled with personal items on the table nearby before wiping the sweat off his brow. "No offense Twilight. But I actually expected Rarity's luggage to be the heaviest, not yours." He eyed the boy. "What is all this?"

"Oh just some of my lab equipment from home." She answered as a matter of factly. "And don't worry. These are the less energy consuming ones. What would say the wattage limit is for this house?"

"Uh…"

"Never mind. I'll figure it out myself." She quickly opened the box and began unloading a few of her personal belongings in the room which seemed to have been remodeled quite a bit.

"Wow… you certainly made yourself at home."

"If I'm going to be hold up in this place until we can deal with this secret society, I may at least be comfortable." She snidely added with a cute smile. "But don't worry. I'll be sure to put them all back exactly as they were the moment we're done."

"Hey knowing you guys, I'm sure you'll treat this place right."

"Oh absolutely." Twilight gestured to the library wing. "I mean look at this place. The collection here is absolutely amazing. I've taken inventory of some of the books and many of them are first-edition copies! There's no way you can find these in ordinary bookstores anymore. A few of these might even be worth a small fortune to the right collector. Your dad must've been one heck of a reader."

"Actually, I think these were my moms'."

"Your mom?" She blinked, surprised.

"Yeah. My dad collects a lot of things but books were more of my mom's alley. I'm not really sure why." He took a brief look at the selection brushing a finger down the covers. "Maybe they had different taste in things."

"I saw her portrait with your dad. She was really pretty. I can see why your dad fell head over heels for her." He agreed on that twice now. "Oh! Speaking of your mom. I did find something cool in here." She then hastily reached into study table and pulled out what looked like an old photo album. "I know I shouldn't intrude but I just couldn't help myself."

With a simple flick of the page Flash found himself staring at the face of his parents in the happiest days of their lives. You could feel the memories in each of these pictures like each of them a little story of their own. Perhaps the saying that a picture can paint a thousand words rings true here.

He can't remember seeing his old man with such a silly face. There was even a photo of their wedding day. Sombra held his wife up high in his arms while she tossed the bouquet into the air. A lot of guests were there. Some he didn't recognize and some he did. A younger Mr. Doodles was easy to pick out amongst the crowd. And… was that his butler in background?

The next batch of photos appear to be honeymoon collections with the newly wedded couple doing all sorts of extreme activities. Mountain climbing in Yakyakistan, paragliding in Griffonstone, scuba diving in Stalliotopolis? Wow that's pretty far away.

"Looks like your parents were really well traveled." They absolutely were. Otherwise his dad never would've been the famous archeologist that he is now. "And that pin he's wearing. Is that the same one you have?"

The boy nodded, brushing his fingers on the pin. "Yeah. He gave it to me as a hand me down. Mom made it for him during their honeymoon."

"Aww… that's so sweet of him." But her face went even sweeter when she flipped the page finding an adorable baby staring back at her. "AWWW~~ Is that… you!?"

"Yup. That's me alright." He groaned. "In diapers and holding a giant dog pillow."

"Oh you're so cute." She said that in the best baby voice possible. "How could an adorable little thing like that turn into something like this?" The blue boy gave her a questioning look. "I mean… not that you're bad or anything. It's just that the difference is uncanny."

"Nice save."

"Hey Twilight." Rainbow Dash suddenly called from the door. "Mind giving us a hand with your levitating magic? Rarity brought her luggage in and… let's just say she'll be needing an extra room to keep her stuff."

"On it." She casually left leaving the boy to look over the album.

The baby pictures of him was kind of a bummer but he guessed that it was natural for parents to put something like that in their memory book. However… as Flash skimmed through the photos, noticed something missing from all these pictures. While he and his dad shared many frames, there wasn't a single picture of him and his mother together.

And that felt just a tad bit odd…


	32. Monsters in Men's Cloth

**Chapter 32: Monsters in Men's Clothing**

**(Wednesday) (Morning) (Hillside House)**

The last few days have been a bit of a blur for Sunset. Waking up early in the morning with a cup of coco in hand had always been a daily routine for her, especially on holidays. But now she was having a bit of a headache. After the incident with her burnt apartment some few days ago, she busied herself with work, applying some new enhancement on their magic. If they were going to face off with Hoity Toity and his snake like shadow creatures, they had to be prepared. But mostly she had been busy prepping her new home with some new defenses. Particularly the anti-magic barrier that she set up.

With the shards that Starlight provided her she embedded pieces of it around the house creating a protective shielding that prevented any living creature from entering without their permission. And by attuning those shards with their unique magical signatures, their geodes technically become 'keys' that granted them exclusive access to the area. Anyone or anything that tries to force their way through the barrier will be slamming against a force akin to that of a magically solid brick wall. Even Princess Celestia will have a hard time breaking through that.

"Mornin Sugar Cube…" She turned over Applejack who came out of her room in her blue apple jammies stretching her arms out with a long extended yawn. "You're up early today."

"I thought I'd have a look at the sunrise for once instead of just sleeping in." Sunset chuckled as she took a sip off her cup. "I didn't really have the time to admire the scenery with everything that's been going on. But now that I don't have to worry about anything, I gotta admit… this place looks pretty homey."

"You can say that again. Knowing that ya'll are just next door makes me feel pretty safe around here." She paused. "That and the magic barrier you put up. Speaking of which, you're looking a lot better too. Nice PJs by the way."

"Thanks. It's Pinkie Pie's." Sunset stretched out the adorably stretchy fabric where the belly extended into a built-in pouch. She can only imagine Pinkie keeping a boatload of snacks in there. If she had the whole thing settled, you would think she was dressing up as a kangaroo. "Don't ask. It was either this or Rarity's glitter pajamas."

"Well at least you finally got out of those old clothes. To be honest, you were getting kinda stinky."

"Ugh… don't remind me." She groaned lowly to herself. "I didn't know how badly I needed a shower until I smelled myself. And no offense to Rainbow Dash. But her wardrobe were a bit… below my size."

"That's an athlete for ya." Applejack laughed grabbing a bottle of cider from her private stash before popping another question. "Sooooo… you know how much it's gonna cost you to get you back on your feet?"

"You mean how much I'm going to need to get my old life back together?" The redhead scoffed, feeling a headache coming through. "According to Twilight's matriculate calculations, it'll take me years just to get back to where I was."

"Don't you have savings or something?"

"I do. But even if I emptied my account, I'll still be short by…" She gave it a quick thought and stopped counting. "… a lot. Even with my cutbacks I barely managed to save anything. And don't even get me started about getting a new apartment. I looked through Twilight's binder and they're all either too far, too expensive or just too cramped. Right now the only quick solution for me to get everything back is to somehow win the lottery."

"Yeesh. That bad huh?"

"It's bad enough I have to stay in someone else's house." Applejack gave her a look. "No. I didn't mean it like that. This place is nice and all and I can see myself living here but…"

"It ain't your place until you earned it." The cowgirl deduced much to her agreement. "Trust me. I know the feeling. Kind of like having a sleepover at a friend's place. You got all your stuff there but it just doesn't feel like home."

"Yeah… that's pretty accurate." Sunset nodded back with a sigh. "I need a place that I own. A place that I can stay and be proud of. But… none of that will matter until we deal with this secret society and their shadow monsters."

"And still no clue on who they are?"

"Other than Hoity and Cinch? No. Twilight is searching through some clues in the data drive we got earlier but so far nothing. And it's really starting to get to me. First you, then Rarity and now my apartment? Who's next? Fluttershy's animal shelter?" The thought alone was frightening.

"Hey… relax." Applejack reassured her, placing one hand on her arm. "We'll find them. And when we do. We'll make them wish they never messed with us to begin with. It'll all work out. I know it. We've been through tough scrapes before and we always came out on top."

"Heh… now you're starting to sound like Flash."

"Well he has been with us for a long time now. So… he probably knows us better than most of our friends." Her eye glanced over to the sky longingly as the snow continued to pour. "Speaking of Flash. You still coming to the party later this evening?"

"The school Winter Holiday party? I'm not sure."

"Oh come on. You've been cooped up in this house for two days straight now. You can't stay locked up just because you're afraid."

"But what if the shadow monsters try to steal the Portal Stone again?"

"It'll be fine. We got that thing locked up in the safest place on the planet. Trust me. No one's getting it. And even if they tried, you got this whole barrier thing set up and two of the best security dogs in the city." She gestured over to the corner of the living room where Spike and Winona were snuggled comfortably in their pillows. "Uh… ok maybe not the best. But they're all we've got. B'sides, I think you could use a real holiday. A day off from all this magic and mayhem."

"I totally agree with her, darling."

"Gah!" The two girls startled when a ghostly voice spoke to them. "Rarity? Is that you?"

"Over here sweetie." A floating cup answered swinging around at them.

"Rarity. Are you using the cloak again?"

The _'ghost'_ chuckled softly before revealing herself. "I'm sorry. My makeup needed drying and I don't want people seeing my morning self."

"It's 8 in the morning." Applejack pointed out. "Why in the world would you need makeup this early?"

"Beauty like this takes hard work and discipline, sweetie. You never know when you'll appear in public. And besides, with the last school party of the year happening tonight, I have to be in tip top form." She took a sip off her cup, placing one hand on her hip giving away a casual wink. "And what Applejack says is right dear. You've been locked up in this place for over two days straight working non-stop over your magical trinkets and those magic stones you put everywhere. You're going to burn yourself out at this rate."

"But what if the monsters attack again?"

"If they do, then they'll be facing the seven of us together." Rarity puffed her chest up with a determined voice. "I'd like to see those cretins try and take us on instead of picking us off one by one. And locking yourself here would declare that they have won! You must break out of your shell, show that secret society that it'll take more than burning my home to bring me down! You should be going out there, scream to the world and tell it to give it all it's got!"

"She's right." AJ nodded also in agreement. "The only reason these things are winning is because they catch us alone. But with all of us together? They'll think twice before they try anything stupid."

Sunset looked to her hot coco, in thought. The last two days have been hectic. With everyone moving into this house, and her nights filled with tinkering with the magical devices that Starlight brought her, she hasn't had a moment of rest at all. It would explain why she felt more anxious while she was doing her morning routine.

Perhaps a little break could be what she needed.

"Alright." She submitted to their whims with a chuckle. "If you two think that it's a good idea, then who am I to say no?"

"Wonderful!" Rarity cheered, not giving Sunset a moment to breathe before grabbing her by the arm and pulling her through the house. "And I have just the perfect attire for you. Come along now. We need to do some measurements!"

"You two have fun now."

**(Flash's house)**

No… not this one either.

Flash tossed what felt like the hundredth picture to the floor before falling on his bed letting out a tired sigh.

Ever since he took a look at that photo album at his old house by the hill his mind raced for something that would link him to his late mother. It took him a while but he finally stumbled across a few old boxes in his dad's room containing some old pictures from his younger days.

He had hoped that there would be at least one photograph of him and his mother together. But sadly there wasn't. It was either only him or his dad together. Or dad and mom, but never him or mom in one.

It was like she was never once became a part of his life.

A few ideas popped up in his head as to wonder why, but none of them seemed all that pleasant to think about.

He thought about asking his dad but he was afraid that he would curl up back into his shell like before. No. Best to leave the past alone. The lady was gone and he's finally moving on with his life. No need to bring back painful memories.

*Woof!*

"Heh… hey there Bananas." The boy chuckled softly as his Boston Terrier came up to his face to give him a cheer-me-up lick to the face. "You worried about me boy? Well… I guess you could say that I am a little curious." He patted the little guy, pretending that he could talk like Twilight's dog. "I never really thought about mom until recently. Or… at least not until dad came back from his big expedition. Seeing her face on those photos really made me wonder though."

*Woof!*

"I know I know. Thinking about it now won't help. Besides I should probably get ready for my big gig tonight." He picked up his guitar and strummed a few notes to test the sound. "It's the last school party of the year. And with the next semester being my last, I need to make a lasting impression around here." Bananas simply scratched his ear in response. "I even got a new song that'll definitely be a hit. Wanna hear it, buddy?" His dog answered by snuggling in his blanket and snooze. "Ah fine. It's not finished anyway."

"Flash? Are you in there?" The boy jolted up when he heard his father tap on his door.

"Uh y… yeah! In a minute! I'm a… doing something." He hastily stuffed the photos back into the box only to have it push back.

"Mind if I come in?" Sombra questioned from the closed door. "I need to ask you a favor. It's rather urgent and… what are you doing in there?"

"Just practicing some music. Give me a sec." With a swift motion he slammed the box right back in and tucked in his cabinet just the moment his dad entered.

"Flash?" Sombra questioned as his eyes scanned the room noting the clutter. "What was all that noise?"

"Oh… nothing." He lied. "Just doing a little cleaning." His dog barked softly as if he was trying to rat him out.

"Cleaning? Why on earth are you doing that?" His dad raised a puzzled expression. "I understand that you want some privacy son. But you know we have people for that, right?"

"I just don't like people going through my stuff." He answered shyly before suddenly turning his attention to the man's attire which looked fabulous. "Whoa dad. You're looking pretty snazzy. Got a big meeting coming up?"

"Ah… son. Well… yes actually." The older gentleman looked rather uncomfortable. "I'm uh… actually meeting with someone tonight."

Meeting with someone? As in… alone? There's no kind of meeting that takes place one on one or require a suit that catchy. At least not in dad's case. And judging from the hair-do, cologne and the flowers he had ready. That can only mean that he was…

… going on a hot date!

"Oh…?"

"What?" Sombra sputtered. "What is it? Do I look ridiculous? Is it too much?"

Normally he'd say yes. But considering his position, he'd rather say nothing at all. "No. Of course not. I'm sure the meeting will go… perfectly." He held up a laugh. "Just remember to tell me all about it one day." Doubtful that would ever happen but you'll never know. "Anyway. I'm off. Don't wait up for me."

"Oh wait. Flash. Actually… there is one thing I wanted to ask of you." He stopped him for a moment. I was hoping to ask you a rather important favor. It's rather embarrassing."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Well… you remember the castle I told you about some time ago?"

"You mean Castle Hoofbeard? Yeah I remember." The one with the tragic backstory with pirates, mermaids, treasures and cross-star love.

"Well the papers are finalized. They only need my signature to confirm the complete transfer of the deed." He was sensing a 'but' coming. "However I just remembered that I have to make a quick trip to Manehattan to get some things from my old office and I cannot change the flight."

"You're going out of town?"

"Just for a few days. Not like those expeditions. And the man I purchased the deed from is also leaving town the day after so I can't come by and finish the deal."

"Ooo…k? So where do I fit in?"

"Well I need you to go there and sign the deed for me."

"Me!?" He stammered. "Me? Owning real-estate? I don't think I'm ready for that dad. I can barely handle my own car."

"You're just signing it in your name but the property will belong to the family. There's no need for you to get so worked up." The older man smiled. "All you need to do is go there, meet with the owner, sign one document and you'll be back before you even know it. Please son?" He pleaded. "Just do this one thing for me?"

Well that didn't sound so bad. If it was just going to be a quick trip then he may as well do something productive for the family business. Still… he never really did get on with what his father does with his money.

"Alright. I suppose I can do one signature."

"Excellent! The meeting is tomorrow. I'll have Edmund provide you with directions. Oh and while you're there. Do me a favor and have a look around the place. Get a feel for the land. I have an associate of mine who has big plans for the place and he can certainly use your input."

**(Canterlot Highschool) (Courtyard)**

Luna had a mixed feeling today.

The last of the preparations for tonight's party has been done. The catering service has brought in their food, Granny Smith got the cider ready, the decoration was set, and the musical entertainment was ready. She even already picked out what she'd be taking home later tonight. Celestia won't mind if she pocketed a few leftovers here and there. No point letting that stuff go to waste. The only thing missing now were the students themselves who will no doubt, be arriving in droves.

The weather here also seemed to be taking a turn. Dark and heavy clouds loomed over the sky blocking the sun entirely. It would've been the perfect time to just sit back and relax.

But sadly there was still one last hurdle to handle before they can truly let loose. And that hurdle was not something she was looking forward to.

"Tell me again why we can't just have this greeting inside the school?" She directed the question at her sister who stood tall and poised in front of the gates, eyeing the road expectantly.

"It's common courtesy." The Principal explained. "Neighsay can be tough but he's really old-school in terms of rules. Meeting him here instead of my office firstly is a sign of professionalism and respect."

Pfft… respect. I got more respect in my eyelashes than he has in his whole body.

"Ok fine. But can I at least stay inside? It's freezing out here." She shivered even though she was already wrapped in two layers of jacket.

"Just bear with it a little longer. You don't need to say anything. Just try and pretend to be like one of the decorations." Celestia scolded before returning to her original pose when she noted an expensive car stopping at the front of the sidewalk. "He's here. Stand up straight. And put away that hat, you're making me look bad." Oh sister, I have ways of making you look bad. Don't push my buttons. It's bad enough I have to stand here early in the morning on the first week of her holiday dressed like a peacock.

Ugh… it feels like we're meeting the mayor.

But it wasn't the mayor that came out of that car. The driver strode out of his seat and quickly made his way to the other sided, opening the door for the passenger like some kind of butler. And from the backseat, a man… nay… a creature of evil walked out, with pale skin, goatee and a dark red coat to match.

A vampire in broad daylight.

That was perhaps the most accurate description Luna could provide for the man. And no he wasn't like those romantic emo kids that you see in movies, but the monstrous kind. The kind that would give you nightmares, drain the world of all its hope and color leaving nothing but a wasteland of despair and misery.

"Chairman Neighsay. Good to see you." Celestia greeted the blood sucker like an old colleague. "I hope your trip was pleasant."

"It was moderately dreadful." The man responded with words that seemed to send even more chill to one's bones than the cold weather itself. "Traffic was tolerable, roads are in desperate need of repair, the restaurant service where I ate was unacceptable and people's respect and obedience to the law is absolutely atrocious. I saw a man walk his dog through the street in a no pet zone. Pfft… I should've called the police and have him arrested for violations. And here I thought Las Pegasus was horrifying. If I knew I was coming to a city of criminals I would've hired a bodyguard."

Well aren't you just a ball of sunshine and rainbow. Can I interest you in some garlic bread? How about a nice can of soda with a side of holy water? French fries with an extra stake through the heart?

"Well I'm sure you'll find this place to your liking." Celestia held her image together rather well. "And as the Principal of this school, allow me to be the first to welcome you to CHS. I have no doubt that you'll be a wonderful addition to our staff."

"Yes I'm sure." He added though his tone didn't really send much enthusiasm. As a matter of fact he didn't sound anything other than annoyed. "Speaking of which. Can we have this meeting indoors? I very much despise the sunlight."

Of course you do…

"Ahem…"

"Oh and of course allow me to introduce you to the School's Vice Principal. I'm sure you remember Luna."

"Sadly… I don't. But… charmed to meet you." Sarcastically polite. That's definitely something you don't see every day.

As they entered the school, Celestia continued on with her sales pitch. "As you can see, Canterlot High boast as one of the most reputable school in all of Canterlot itself. We provide the students here with the best education we can provide in various fields as well as independent art and sports activities improving not only their minds but also their physical well-being. Our students also enjoy a healthy diet in our school cafeteria which every produce is provided by the local community as a whole."

"Mmmm hmmm…" Yeesh. Nothing frazzles this guy. He was sterner than a rock. The only thing that seems to interest him is that notepad he held on hand.

"And our faculty is also one of the finest in the business which I'm sure you already know." Oh! He raised an eyebrow. That's a reaction – or was it just a boring quip? "Uh… anyway. You'll also be happy to know that our school's reputation amongst the populace is also rising along with our GPA. We've even won a few trophies from our science teams last semester with our resident geniuses."

"Yes… very impressive." Was it? It's hard to tell with his expression. For all she knows it may as well be a sarcastic comment. "Canterlot High certainly has developed quite a reputation for itself these last few years. And you can be sure that the Board of Education appreciates it." Celestia sighed with relief but not loud enough for him to hear. "However there are a few things that the Board is also concerned with."

"Th… they are?" Celestia gulped.

The old vampire shifted through his notes raising one brow in question. "For one manner, this school has exceeded its usual budget more than three times already."

Oh boy… here we go.

"We have?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact… it surpassed the normal line by… a lot." His frown darkened. "As a matter of fact… I would say that it's actually hemorrhaging money." We're losing money!? How much? Will that be ruining our bottom line? How far deep in the red were we in? "And recently all these extra expenditures all involve… repairs to the school and replacement of equipment. Care to explain?"

Ah crud. Luna winced, now acutely aware why the board would send someone of his pedigree and status to such a place. Thinking back on it now, it seemed logical that they'd be suspicious. With all the damage done by scientific accidents and of course 'magic' it would actually be more surprising if they didn't send someone to check. She became uncomfortable and quickly turned to the announcement board giving it more attention than it had any right to, even though her sister looked to her pleading for help.

Sorry sis, but you're on your own on this one. I'm just here as decoration, remember? You can either throw those girls under the bus or risk it. Though the former option seems unlikely for her.

"We've had a few accidents here in school. If you've noticed, the wiring of the city has been famed for its recklessness. We're lucky to have suffered only a few small scrapes unlike the city block that burned down the other day."

Oh wow! Way to go Lesty. Bury a lie under a layer of truth to make it look believable. She's making use of that accident in the city as an excuse. Neighsay cocked a brow in surprise and nodded.

"Yes. I suppose this city's infrastructure can be quite… unreliable." Yes! Score one for CHS! "I'll have to file a complaint to the mayor and get her to fix it. There have been a number of faulty wirings lately. Though that still doesn't explain why the gym needed a whole new wall repaired."

"It was a science project gone wrong." Celestia countered. "A robot went out of control. Geniuses these days think that they can do anything without consequences. Please don't worry. I assure you that the students responsible have been adequately punished and we've applied new strict rules to prevent it from happening again?"

We did?

"Very good." He nodded in acceptance. "I'm glad someone is taking their job seriously around here. However… there is one marginal error in your records."

"And that would be?"

"I have checked your student list and have discovered that three of them have failed to attend any class at all for the last year." That can't be right. That kind of absentee would be an automatic expulsion. Luna herself made sure that every student in school had enough credit to graduate. And those that did not would immediately be subjugated to supplementary remedial classes or extra credit assignments.

"There must be a mistake." Celestia obvious didn't believe it and with good reason. "There are no such students with such tardy records here."

"The records speak of themselves. I have their names right here." He flashed his notepad at them which they immediately read.

And the names listed drained the color from their faces.

Adagio Dazzle

Sonata Dusk

… and Aria Blaze…

…

…

…

Oh for the love of…

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

Vignette Valencia poured everything she had in her designs. He blood, sweat and the tears of other poor sap who would soon be losing in the next round of the competition.

She cannot afford to lose this competition. The amount of publicity she would get from the Grand Runway was simply too good to miss. Anyone who walked on that stage was bound to gain some manner of recognition from the industry. Even though she was an online star, the amount of screen time she gets from that event would make her years on the internet look like a simple meme joke.

Rarity was a guaranteed shoe-in to have a slot in the top three. Hoity was practically ogling over her designs like a hyena. If she played her cards right, she'll probably coattail her to the top and get her ten minutes of fame.

It was a sly plan to be sure, but it was well worth it.

"Ah Vignette. There you are." Her hands stopped on her work when the legend himself dropped by with his secretary in tow. He often comes to the back of the amphitheater to check on his future protégés. "Is this a bad time?"

"No!" She smothered her mouth to keep herself from squealing like a rabid fangirl. "Not at all Mr. Toity. Sir."

"Please. Call me Hoity." He gave a slight gesture of a bow. "Mr. Toity makes me sound… pampered."

She wasn't really sure if that was an insult. "Oh… of course. Mr… I mean… Hoity. How can I help you?"

"I have a customer coming in later who ordered a custom dress for some school party tonight. However I'm having a hard time ensuring that it'll be perfect. And seeing that you and she are of the same size I was hoping you could try it out for me."

"You mean I get to wear one of your very own original designs!?" Her grin widened immensely. "I would be honored!"

"Wonderful." Hoity's smile turned sinister. "Please follow me secretary to the dressing room and we'll have a fitting."

**(School gym)**

Flash was perhaps the first to arrive at the gym where the last school party of the year was going to take place. He could tell that the group responsible for the decorations have done a marvelous job keeping the place up.

"Alright Flash. I'm here." Rainbow Dash groaned annoyingly, brushing past the double doors letting out a tiresome yawn in the process. "What's the big idea coming out here at this time? The party doesn't start until six."

The boy grinned, putting up his guitar on stage. "As part of the entertainment for the last school party, it's the band's responsibility to come early and make sure everything is on point. So if there's any error, we can fix them before the gig starts. It's called being punctual and professional."

Her eyes rolled at him. "Pfft. Yeah right. If your band is so professional, then where are they?" She gestured to the empty gym. "There's no one here!"

"Drum Roll has a dentist appointment and Bass Key and Sandalwood won't be here until three."

"So why'd you text me to come early!?"

"Because I wanted to make sure that my backup isn't gonna chicken out on her deal." Her snarl made him regret those choice of words. He quickly raised his hand up creating a shield. "Kidding… I'm kidding! There's actually a very logical reason why I asked you to come here." He then quietly led the girl to the back of the gym, next to the parking lot where a surprise waited for her.

"What's this?" She pointed at the blanketed object noting his cocky smile. "Flash… what did you…"

"Tada!" He quickly pulled the covers away revealing her brand new/old bike.

Rainbow Dash's eyes bulged out of their sockets while her jaw slung down as if it was dislocated from her mouth. Her baby, Rainbow Blaze, looked like it had gone through a facelift. Her parts sparkled and shined like they were polished to perfection, the handle shimmered and gleamed while its chassis held that new leather smell.

"Is that… my bike!?" She traced her fingers on its engine unable to believe her eyes.

"Yup. The guys at the garage just had her tuned up and fixed the other day." The boy proudly added, giving her room to put her fingerprint all over the classic motor.

"But how'd you get the parts? I thought those things were…" She stopped when a thought came to mind. "How much did you spend on this?"

"Nothing at all."

She didn't believe it. "Come on Flash. You can't fool me. The guy said that the parts were pretty much non-existent. You must've spent a fortune getting it."

"For once that's actually not true." He said truthfully. "The original parts for the Cloudsdale Angel classic are long gone after their factory went under. So I asked my dad if I could use the spare parts of other models. And would you believe it? We had a bunch of those lying around in our garage. These parts actually fit with the old one. The only price I had to pay was for the assembly, which you can pay me back later."

Rainbow Dash still didn't believe it. With the way Flash had been flaunting his wealth around lately, she wouldn't put it pass her to say that he'd spend top buck on her baby. All this shine and silver made her baby looked twice as pretty as before.

Unable to resist the urge she hopped on and started the engine hearing it purr loudly like a creature of the road. She could feel the engine humming beneath her seat and the touch of the handle was smooth.

Oh yeah. She could definitely see herself going country crossing with this baby. Her eye cast over to the side of the seat where she spotted a lightning bolt insignia printed on the metal.

"I added that for a little flare." Flash answered before tossing her a can of spray paint. "All it needs now is a little touch from you."

Rainbow Dash bit her lip trying to control her smile.

**(CHS Principal's office) (Some time later)**

Celestia paced back and forth on her room one hand on her back and the other stroking her chin deep in thought. "This is a disaster!" The poker face she wore throughout the meeting had finally been dropped leaving a panicked woman exposed for all to see. "How could this have happened?

"Calm down sister." Luna spoke from her desk looking over the school records. "I know it looks grim but your pacing around the room isn't exactly helping."

"Surely that kind of record can't be accepted, can it? There has to be some kind of mistake."

"I'm sorry Lesty. But I've checked and double checked the records. Those three were officially and legally enrolled in our school. So in technicality they are our students and thus their grades affect the school."

"And how much will they affect our GPA?"

"Well… if we put their absences and lack of attendance in all activities…" Luna typed down on her computer and winced. "You… don't really wanna know."

"Ugh… this is unacceptable." The Principal paused when a thought came to mind. "Wait. I got it! That kind of attendance can't be acceptable to our standard, right? So they're eligible for expulsion."

"Normally yes. But seeing as we're the ones who enrolled them under our 'insistence', the Board of Education will require a reason why we recommended them in the first place." She groaned. "Everything. All their paperwork has our initials and approval. And it's not like we can just tell them that we were under the influence of dark magic."

No we certainly can't. But what else were they to do? Bringing those magically dangerous girls here to study alongside their fellow students? That was equivalent to having Granny Smith drive the school bus at full speed at the freeway. There was a reason why she specifically banned magic from Sunset and her friends. This school has had enough of magic and honestly the budget for repair was eventually going to raise questions. There had to be a way out. Something they can use.

With a bit of hesitation, she turned over to her sister… sighing. Desperate time calls for hopelessly desperate measures. "Alright Luna. Give it to me."

"Give… what?" She tilted her head, confused.

"An out. We need an out. If there's one thing you're good at, sister. It's making excuses or finding loopholes in the system. You've gotten out of tough situations before with your knowledge. You can do the same here."

"Me?" She feigned shock. "Sister. I am disappointed that you see me in such low esteem. I would never do anything that would shine a bad light on me or this school."

"Come on!" Celestia pleaded, hands clasped together, begging. "I can't afford to have the board breathing down my neck again. It took us years to rebuild the school's grade to this level and we can't have it crashing down on us now!" She cast a glance to the door making sure that no one was there before rising back up, rubbing the top of her nose. "Listen. I… am willing to bend a few rules if I have to."

"Egads!" Luna gasped unable to believe what she had just heard. "But Lesty. You've never willingly broke the rules before."

"I said 'bend'… not break." She corrected, her arms folded together. "If it'll get Neighsay to back down and keep him from filing a bad report back to the board, then I'm willing to grant some leeway. I am not losing my position here because of that blood sucker."

The Vice-Principal gave it a thought. It was rare for Celestia to bend or break any kind of ground rule she set for herself. She was known to be the perfect citizen. And would never dare jeopardize anything. If she was going as far as to compromise her oath, then she truly must be desperate. But if she was willing to 'bend' a few rules… then maybe they had a chance.

"Well… I suppose there is one way."

"What!? What is it!?" She clung to the table, eyes widened half mad.

"The only reason why Neighsay brought them up is because of their lack of attendance, right? Well the only way we can counteract that is to… actually have them attend."

"Luna!"

"Let me finish." She raised her hand up in protest. "We only need them to attend for one semester, give them a passing grade. Afterwards they can drop out freely. We can then say that they simply transferred to another school and they'll be out of our hair afterward. That way it won't raise too much suspicion and the board won't be able to question us. That Neighsay included." She paused. "Especially Neighsay."

"But isn't that… dangerous?"

"Not if we play our cards right." Luna grumbled. "We'll put those three in the same classes as Sunset and her friends so that they can keep an eye on them. We can put it in as an… extra credit support activity. That's where you come in. You're in charge of all class schedules so you'll have to put the extra effort."

Celestia bobbed her head dumbly. "O… ok? But that'll totally ruin the perfect schedule I have for everyone. I finally mapped out all the classrooms using optimal routes and…"

"Well if that's how you want it, I guess you'll be spending your next Spring Break meeting with the board begging them not to cut our budget."

…

…

"I'll get started right away."

**(Hillside House)**

"Yes! Perfect!" Rarity cheered as she waved her hands over her friend like a presenter. "It took some effort. It took some time. And it most certainly took some measure of luck. But we definitely found it. Sunset Shimmer. Allow me to present the new YOU!" She pulled out a mirror from out of nowhere and directed it over her friend. "Well? What do you think?"

Sunset took a wondering glance at her own reflection and smiled weakly. Her new black dress went just above her ankles, sleeves complimenting with arm-length gloves, and the red engravings made it look like she was a burning charcoal.

"I look like a volcano that's about to explode." She can't really tell if she said that as a compliment or a jab.

"Perfect! That's exactly what I was going for, darling. Fire and Brimstone is the name and burning passion is the game! From the ashes of destruction you shall be reborn!" She gave a dramatic pause allowing the words to sink in. "You know? For your whole brush with fire and death and all that."

"Yeah. I get it." Though she had to admit, she does look good in black. Surprisingly so.

"Your face says to me that you like it, but your brain is saying something else."

Sunset winced. "How'd you know?"

"Attention to detail is my talent." Rarity reminded. "I don't need the power to read minds to know what's going through your head when your muscles are screaming at me, dearie." She patted her dress down, flattening the wrinkles. "What's troubling you now? Don't tell me you're still worried about Hoity Toity."

"Can you blame me?" Honestly no. But that was beside the point. "I'm worried he might try something to steal the Portal Stone. Again."

"Sunset. I know that you have a good reason to go after this man. But remember, you need to unwind as well." The fashionista insisted. "Remember. A calm mind gives way to clear thinking. And what better way to calm one's mind than to dance it off in a joyous celebration of food, music and wonderful company?" Her phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket prompting her to answer the text.

"I know… but after that night I can't help but get the feeling that he'll try to pull another fast one on us. If only there was some way to spy on Hoity. Get more information and see where he'll be next."

"Well you don't have to look far." Rarity giggled raising her phone up. "Because I might just have the answer you seek. My spy network in the business has provided me with just the opportunity for our grand master plan!"

"You have a spy network?"

She waggled her hand and rolled her eyes, chuckling awkwardly in return. "Ehh… 'spy' might be a bit of a stretch. It's more like a person who was there at the right place at the right time. And when I said 'network' I actually meant, just one person. It's Vignette. She spends most of her time perfecting her craft in the amphitheater. She just texted me about the next leg of Hoity's pageant show. Next week's theme is… Yakyakistan Royalty? HA! Please. That's an easy win. All I need is a few rolls of silk from the supplier and I'll be golden. Oh… maybe a few leather pieces as well for the native touch."

"Rarity!" The redhead snapped. "Focus! You said something about an opportunity."

"Ah… yes. My bad. Anywho. You know that we can never catch Hoity alone without his retinue following him around like a hawk. Not to mention the fans and paparazzi that would spend every moment to catch a glimpse of the genius himself. It is just absolutely…"

"Rarity!"

"Oh… right. Sorry. Anyway. Hoity is planning to host his pageant show at a newly opened resort at a place called Freefall Island. He's planning to travel there incognito to scout the venue this Thursday. Making sure that everything is up to standard."

Freefall Island?

Why did that name sound so familiar?

"Wait a second…!" She gasped. "That island wouldn't happen to be just off the coast of Canterlot beach, would it?"

"Yup. There's a ferry service that goes to and from that island. Why?"

"Twilight told me that she detected a large source of magical energy coming from a castle on that island. It's one of the many sources of magic around the city. Judging from the timing… this can't be a coincidence." She placed a hand over her chin in thought. "He might be after whatever's generating that magic."

"And it's the perfect timing too." Rarity pointed out. "If he's going to check on the venue secretly. That means he'll be going there on private business. Which means…"

"His usual entourage won't be around him!" Sunset put two and two together. "We can catch him without making a scene!"

"Precisely." The fashionista bobbed her head proudly. "No lights, no camera, no crowd. But all action."

"Rarity, you're a genius!"

She brushed it off feigning humility. "Oh darling please. You should know by now that I'm far more than just a pretty face." Another buzz came through her phone. "Oh! Vignette says that she'll have more details soon. She'll keep me posted on all upcoming events."

"We should tell the others. This could be the opportunity we've been waiting for."

**(Hoity Toity Trendsetter)**

"iT Is dONe… MIsTeR… tOIty." Vignette's voice slurred like a puppet as she handed over her phone to the fashion star who grinned at the cute emoji response that came.

Her eyes were blanks and dark leaving nothing but an empty void of the woman who she once was. Her head wobbled back and forth like she was trying to find balance between her jaw and her neck. Traces of blank ink stretched from her neck and wrists, like tendril digging into her very veins, poisoning her from within. Upon closer inspection, you could see those very tendrils extending from the clothes that she wore, fusing her as one with the fabrics.

"Very good." The fashion star nodded pleasingly. "It's so easy for people trust one another. What better way to lure them to a trap than the word of a friend? Isn't that right?"

"yEs siR…"

"Very good Vignette. Keep me posted with their activities. You may return to your wonderful designs."

The woman responded with a forced nod, before sluggishly making her way to the back of the amphitheater where many of her fellow designers resided, all of them sharing the same dark blank eyes and tendrils from their clothes digging into their bodies. A few of them looked downright zombified, with drools and snots coming from their faces and the forced effort put in each movement and action. They hardly acknowledge one another, but instead, kept all their focus on sewing, stitching and perfecting their designs, to be used for another sinister purpose.


	33. A Moment of Peace

**Chapter 33: A Moment of Peace**

**(School gym) (Later that night)**

Twilight never thought she'd be a party gal before. Back in Crystal Prep, parties were pretty much banned from all activities. Unless it was a study party of course. Heck the closest thing she had to a party was probably during Shining Armor's graduation.

Now, upbeat parties like these became a common theme in her life. With loud music and neon lights that would make the aurora look pale in comparison.

"Hey Twilight." Lyra and Bonbon passed her by giving a friendly wave in which she responded in kind.

The party was now in full swing with most of the students boogieing on the dance floor. As expected, Flash's band was able to breathe life into this place enrapturing everyone with his music. With his singing, his band, their matching jackets and Rainbow Dash as his backup guitar they turned up the party level up to a thousand. You can say what you want about Rainbooms and their publicity status but the Flash Drive really knows how to rock the house. They might actually even be a better band than they were.

Besides, it was also a nice change of pace. It's been a while since Twilight actually attended a party rather than performed for one. Even Sunset seemed to be enjoying herself, grooving on the dance floor with Rarity and Fluttershy who came in their Fall Formal attire.

"Twilight Twilight Twilight!" She was alerted to Pinkie's presence when she abruptly appeared out of the blue, surprisingly without a snack in hand. "Did you see what Bulk is wearing? It's awesome!" Not really. The tuxedo was a good effort but every time he flexes his muscles the whole thing would tear at the seams. "Hey, why aren't you dancing?"

"I'm just enjoying the moment." She reasoned, though honestly she was pretty content just hanging about with her friends sipping juice from her glass on the table she reserved. Besides, the sight of Flash singing passionately on stage made her feel somewhat… calm on the inside. "What about you? I figured you'd be at the buffet table gorging on the food."

Pinkie shrugged back boringly. "Meh. The food's ok. I guess. I mean it's no Luxury Cruise liner buffet level but then again I have taken berry blasted butter biscuit on a bun with five and a half layers."

"Really? I thought you can only do that with three layers?"

"Me too! But then that night… I saw the truth!" Pinkie salivated on the memory, recalling its sweet tender texture on her lips. "You can berry blast butter biscuit on a bun with five and a half layers of chocolate! It was… sublime."

"Wow… that must've been something."

"It was more than something. It was EVERYTHING! Just thinking about it makes my tummy crave for more! But alas… it now only lives… in my memory."

"Why don't you tell me where to get it? If I drop by maybe I can get one for you"

"Oh!" Pinkie stuttered. "Oh… no. That's ok. I'm fine. It's just sweets."

"Come on. I know you like your sweets. You're practically the queen of culinary confection."

"Gasp! Twilight! I'm appalled!" Appalled? Was that a word she actually knew? "Are you saying that you see me as nothing more than a party animal who enjoys sweet and cake on a daily basis!?" Her face went serious for a moment before she pulled out a plate from her hair. "Because you're absolutely right~~. I got me a whole tray! Want a cake? It's fresh."

Twilight waved it off politely. "No thanks. I'm good." Pinkie tried to offer again but she declined it. She then took a seat and began gorging on her food in peace. The nerd gal then returned her attention to the stage as the blue boy switched to a softer, slower song.

"Mind if I join ya?" Applejack came in a few seconds later with two bottles of her family's cider. "I need to rest my legs. All that prancing around worked me quite a thirst."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "I'll say. The music really packed the heat. And it looks like Sunset is having a good time."

"That girl deserves to cut loose after everything that's happened to her. With all this shadow monster attacks and secret society stuff and her apartment blowing up, she could definitely use the break. I was worried she might've burned herself out from all the stress."

"Hmm… just like a certain someone we know?" Pinkie wiggled her brows at the cowgirl earning a shy reaction from her.

"Ok ok. I'll admit. I may have been a bit stressed out when my barn burned down. But I was preparing for my family reunion. Can you blame me for being a little panicky?" No. But that didn't excuse her from forcing herself through the night. Honestly, Applejack looked like she was going to pass out from exhaustion.

"Luckily for you, a certain rich boy decided to help you out." Twilight gave her a jab which again made the cowgirl react cutely. They all then turned to the boy in question who continued to sing on stage with a passion that only musicians could understand.

"Yeah. I guess I am lucky that he came when he did." Applejack added, cradling her head in one hand while watching Flash dreamily. "Speaking of Flash. I think this might be the first time I ever heard him sing some of his older songs."

"What about his concert at the park?"

"Meh. We were too busy selling out stock to listen. But not that I mind, really." She added. "It's actually kinda nice not having to worry about playing on stage."

"Heh… I know the feeling. Just don't let Rainbow Dash hear you say that. Otherwise she'll flip."

"No doubt about it. Besides…" AJ glanced over to the boy one more time, dreamily. "… his songs aren't so bad either."

Of that… the three of them agreed.

And whether it was coincidence or that he felt their gaze upon him, Flash turned over to their table and gave a quick wink. The silent gesture alone was caught by all three and they each reacted differently towards it believing that it was some kind of signal to them.

"Speaking of which." Twilight spoke up. "I've been meaning to ask you. What's the deal between Big Mac and Ms. Cheerilee lately?"

Applejack's face twisted in confusion. "What about'em?"

"Don't give me that. Haven't you heard the rumors? They say that those two are actually in a secret relationship."

Pinkie's face beamed. "Oh oh oh! I heard it too! Lyra told me all about it. It's so spicy."

"Now that's hootenanny hogwash. My brother is a lot of things but he ain't exactly tight on the relationship department. You all know how hard it is to get a word out of him." That's true. Twilight doesn't think she heard more than two words come out of that guy. "I don't see how he can possibly start that kind of romance with someone like Ms. Cheerilee. Besides, it'd be downright weird if I have my own teacher be my… brother's girlfriend." She shivered at the thought.

"True. But they have been hanging out a lot."

"So does everybody else in her class." AJ reasoned back. "That doesn't mean squat."

"And I have been seeing them a lot in the Sweet Shoppe." Pinkie tossed her two bits.

"She's his tutor. Big Mac couldn't take his final exams because of his bum leg so she's helping him prepare for the supplementary ones. Just because they meet up almost every day to study in a sweet store, away from prying eyes, in a romantic setup, doesn't mean they're sharin an ice-cream." She groaned. "Honestly, I expected better from you girls to be going on sniffing out rumors like this. Pfft… my brother and Ms. Cheerilee. Next thing you know, you'll tell me that Principal Celestia is having a secret affair with some rich and powerful billionaire." That was oddly specific but understandable.

Still the rumors that circulated around the student body has been quite 'Spicy' in a lack for a better term. But imagine what would happen if it was actually true. The scandal of the whole thing would be totally out of this world. The backlash would be bad too with the age gap and ethics of society and all that. But at the same time it would be such a romantic story to hear.

Twilight wasn't one to dig on rumors herself but her other friends say that the two of them have been hanging out far more often than they legally should. One eye witness even claims that he saw Big Mac hide a rose in a book before returning it to the library, believing it to be a secret message for Ms. Cheerilee. If it was true, then that soft-spoken boy certainly had a way of speaking his heart out.

"You're right Applejack. We shouldn't be listening to nonsense. Right Pinkie?" The bubbly gal nodded back in response just in time for an intermission for the band. "I'll go get something to drink."

xxxxxxxxxx

Ok… the coast is clear. Everyone's down on the dance floor, the music is bustling and the lights are focused on the students. The DJ is putting down the beats so that means she has a good 20 minutes before the band resumes their play. With a little sleight of hand and coordination, she can be in and out of that place in 10. Another 6 minutes to stash the whole thing in her car and 2 minutes to get back to create the perfect alibi.

All that was left was to get Granny Smith away from the buffet table.

Luna cast a glance over to the fire suppression alarm.

No. Too much. The water would ruin the food and drinks on the table. Not to mention ruin her perfectly good dress. And… ruin the whole night for everyone here too of course.

Hmmm… maybe she can ask the Canterlot Movie Club to create a distraction for her.

No. She couldn't possibly let students act immorally on her behalf. Besides, they're too young. They'd probably rat her out in seconds when push came to shove.

The photo crew? No. Having the risk of Photo Finish catching her in the act? Celestia would never let her live it down.

"You eyeing on the buffet table too?" Doodle whispered beside her with a confirming nod.

"Maybe." She replied, one hand on her hip. "Why?"

"Cuz if you need a distraction, I'm your man."

Her face cracked slightly. "And how do you intend to do that?"

The old Cranky smirked. "I've been practicing some of my moves in private. I can slip onto the dance floor and make a little scene. If there's one thing these students like, it's to see their own teachers do something weird and bizarre. And with my dance number, I can get everyone's attention for at least a few minutes."

"That's… good." She whispered. "But what's in it for you?" He immediately pointed at the racks where some cases of apple cider bottles were stacked up.

"My wife cut me off after I spent a little too much on the cider. Get me four cases and we'll call it even." Four cases might be an extra luggage for her haul… but if he can get the cafeteria lady out of her hair for a little while… then maybe…

"Two cases." She haggled.

Doodle grumbled back. "Add a platter of taco."

"Half a platter."

"Deal!" Once they shook hands, the professor immediately went to work and got on the dance floor. And to his credit, his moves did attract the attention of everyone in the room. Some were even cheering him on.

The little stunt paid off too. Granny Smith, despite her advance age, was immediately intrigued and left her station just for a moment to see what the fuss was all about.

And so with the cunning of a hyena and the speed of a cheetah, Luna snuck to the buffet table and began scrounging through the plates. She even pulled out a trash bag to stash them all. A regular bag would never be able to fit everything. So whenever people ask, she'll just say that she was taking out the trash. Not a complete lie. But not the whole truth either.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Alright team. Great show out there. 20 minute break. Grab a drink and some grub and meet back stage." The band leader announced like he had rehearsed that line a dozen times over.

Rainbow Dash left that stage wiping her brow with a single motion. Though she didn't exactly feel bad about it. In fact you could say that she was even gleaming from all that sweat. Heck you could say that she was in a state of euphoria. She leaned back behind the curtains, a smile plastered on her face while DJ Pon-3 took reign on stage. While Rainbow Dash wouldn't openly admit it, she had to say that playing with the Flash Drive really pumped her up.

These guys were pros down to the core. True professionals in almost every aspect. Every member of the band knew what they were doing and what to do. They were in perfect synch with one another. None of that last minute alteration, or going solo for a little bit, changing the tempo or any of Rarity's fashion mix-up. They all knew what they wanted and they knew how to get it.

Bass Keys had his way with his guitar. Applejack can really turn on the music but this guy looked like he could work his fingers through that thing and make it sing in a way no one could imagine.

Drum Roll too could hit the beats faster than your heart ever could. While Pinkie Pie can go wild with the drums, this guy had attuned his arms to his sticks so well, she even thought that he might just bring the whole roof down all by himself.

And don't even get her started with Sandalwood. His keyboarding skills really meld well with all their songs. You wouldn't think that the guy only joined the band just recently. His bad stomach was a little off-putting but who here doesn't have a chink in their armor? If only Rarity had his sense of urgency.

And of course there was the star man himself.

Flash Sentry.

While he didn't play his guitar like she expected, he did have the voice of a rock star. Who knew a guy like him could hold a note that high? He practically had the whole place enraptured by his singing. Folks were dancing to the beat, swinging their hips to the rhythm and lip-synching along with every word. It was like he put the whole party under a spell.

The guys were good. Like… really good. Heck… if they went toe to toe in a battle of the bands, they might just come out on top. Might…

"Great show, Rainbow Dash." Twilight's voice chimed as she offered the rocker a bottle of cider. "You really 'Raised the roof' out there." She said that phrase like it was a foreign word to her mouth.

"Thanks. But I can't take all the credit. I was just the backup. The band's the one who you should be cheering." She took a sip from the bottle, her smile still holding. "Did you see them on stage? They were totally awesome! It was like playing in a rock concert. Bass and Drum Roll were in the zone." The two band mates in question paused and turned over to them when they heard their names echoed out loud. They waved and smiled politely which Twilight and Rainbow Dash gladly returned the gesture. "And don't even get me started on Flash. Say what you want about the guy. He knows how to sing."

"You don't have to tell me that. I was listening the whole time." They chuckled amongst themselves eyeing the blue boy in the distance as he tried to reach the buffet table, only to be barred by his newly formed fans. All of which seemed to be vying for his attention. "I also heard that he fixed your bike. Pretty snazzy if I do say so myself."

"I know. Don't remind me." Rainbow groaned at the though. While she was glad that her baby was fixed, she wasn't quite sure how to feel knowing that her friend did it for her without something in return. "I told him that I'd pay him back but he said that I didn't need to."

"That's nice of him."

"More like a show off. Only a rich guy like him can pull these kinds of stunts and call it a 'favor'. Now every time I look at my bike, I get this small guilt inside of me saying 'You owe him'. Over and over again." That didn't stop her from taking that bad boy for a spin of course, or giving it an updated paintjob.

"Wow… getting a classic like that must've cost him a small fortune."

But Rainbow waved it off like it was nothing. "Oh please. If he can fix Applejack's farm and buy off Sunset's apartment, fixing my ride is chump change." That of course made Twilight pause, turning towards her with a puzzled expression.

"Sunset's apartment?" The rocker gal froze, smacking her forehead, cursing herself for her loose lips.

"Ahh nuts. Me and my big mouth."

"What are you talking about?"

Rainbow glanced around making sure no one was within earshot. "Promise you won't tell? I kind of promised Flash I wouldn't say anything."

"Depends on what's going on." She opted. "What's this about Sunset's apartment?"

"Ok ok. Keep it down." She pressed one finger against her lip. "Remember how Sunset's apartment blew up to smithereens?" How can they forget? It was pretty much the big news in their lives. "And remember how we said that her landlord didn't need payment for it?"

"Yeah. Because he had insurance on the place."

"Well… not exactly." Somehow Twilight didn't like where this was going. "Turns out Sunset was way behind on her rent and the guy was threatening to sue."

"That's terrible!" But not exactly unjustified. If Sunset really was behind on her payments the landlord had it within right to evict her. And destroying a whole building like that could be worth tens of thousands in property damage. That's not something a teenage girl with a waitress salary could pay off.

"Yeah. The guy was a real piece of work. Believe me." Rainbow Dash continued. "Anyway… we met the guy when we went to check out the apartment. And when he told us that he was gonna sue Sunset, Flash flipped out." Not surprising for the guy. "I wanted to smack that guy silly. But before I could get one word in, Flash whipped out a checkbook and wrote a bunch of numbers in it. Next thing I know, the landlord handed the deed over to us."

"He bought the whole apartment!?" She screamed out loud, which was thankfully muffled by the music in the background. Rainbow Dash smacked her hand over her mouth hushing her sternly. "He actually bought out her entire apartment!?"

"Hey! Keep it down, will ya? Yes. He bought out her apartment."

"That's…"

"Incredible? Insane? Incredibly insane?"

"Not the words I'd use but… yeah." Twilight breathed out, keeping herself calm while waving over to some passerby. "But if that's the case, then why didn't he tell Sunset?"

"He said something about not letting her worry about owing him." That… sorta made sense. "And honestly I can't blame him. I mean he already gave her his old house. How do you think Sunset would take it when she finds out that he saved her from a huge loan?"

Twilight can see the logic in that. It was logic based on love – or at least the kind of love that came from his own pockets. If Flash was any less of a chivalrous man in another universe he would've held such a debt over Sunset and chained her to his side. But not him. He was too much of a pushover to do any kind of evil deed, especially when it came to them. Applejack probably felt the same way at some point. First, the barn, then the Yaztec bowl, the house, the bike and now the apartment? Gosh… if you put all these favors together, the whole club probably owed the guy more than her family's electric bill.

Ugh… now that she thought about it, the damage they leave behind during their magical adventures have been rather substantial. It's rather amazing Principal Celestia tolerated their presence for this long. If she were running the school, she'd expel the problem without a second thought.

"You're right. She definitely won't feel good about it." Feeling indebted to someone always felt like a leash. A chain you're stuck with until the one you owed frees you from it. "Still… buying off someone trouble is kind of…"

"Overdoing it?" Not the word she'd use but close enough. "I feel the same way too. But how else are we supposed to do to raise that kind of cash in the short amount of time? And none of us complained when he fixed Applejack's farm. And I think he might've spent way more on that than this apartment." That's… also true. But that was before they realized he was a rich boy. And… they didn't exactly have a way to solve that problem. Heck it took them months to finally raise half the money needed to repair and renovate Camp Everfree. The other half was gained through a competition and some sheer luck.

"Ok… I guess you have a point. I suppose even with all our magic there are just some problems we can't just fix with a quick wave of our fingers."

"I know, right?"

xxxxxxxxxx

Who in the world would do such a thing!?

Flash scanned the buffet table greedily as he desperately searched for something to munch on. He had finally managed to pry himself away from his friends hoping to get something for his stomach. But upon his arrival at the buffet table he found the place to be completely void of all treats. It was as if someone had come and pilfered everything from the giant cake right down to the last bite sized sandwich. Even the giant bucket of ice cream was taken. Nothing was left but crumbs and… perhaps the last piece of olive.

So much for grabbing something to eat before the next round but… beggars can't be choosers at this point.

He was tempted to pull out his phone and order a pizza but considering the time it would take for it to get here, he'd be on stage already. Maybe if he was fast enough he could raid the cafeteria pantry before anyone notices. At least then he might have a chance to eat something real.

"Looking a little hungry there, rock star." A playful voice called out as it offered him a platter of leftovers. "Care for a little snack before you get back up there?"

"Applejack! And… yes I do. Thank you." He quickly dug into what was on the plate enjoying what he could get his hands on. The empty void in his stomach slowly filled up with sustenance. "Oh… I needed that."

"Phew… you look like you got yourself a mighty appetite there."

"Well what can I say? I'm a growing boy." He swallowed.

"I'll say. You look mighty fine on stage. Guess you got practice?"

"If you're talking about stage presence, then yeah. I guess I do. And…" He scanned her from head to toe. "I can say you're looking mighty fine yourself."

Applejack chuckled softly, admiring her dress. "Aww shucks. It's just a little leftover from Rarity's collection. And before you asked, yes she did force me to wear this. Still. Not a bad look for a country bumpkin, eh?" Nope. Not bad at all. If she had come to the Fall Formal in that attire, she would've won in a landslide. "Quit staring. Now you'll just make me feel conscious."

"Hey you're the one who gloated." He countered flashing a sweet smile. "I'm just enjoying the view." She placed her palm on his face pushing him away. "So how's the house? I take it its big enough for the seven of you?"

"Just big enough. Rarity converted the backyard into a yoga area, Fluttershy befriended the squirrels nearby." Because of course she did. "Twilight and Sunset pretty much took over your mom's library, Pinkie Pie's officially taking over all kitchen duties and Rainbow Dash is already planning her Spring Break at the beach below the cliffs. We might even make a barbeque party out of it."

"Seems like you girls are having fun."

She nodded. "Absolutely! Now that Sunset got the barrier set up we haven't had to worry about any shadow monsters attacking us in the middle of the night. It's so nice to finally relax without having to keep one eye open. And not to mention that we're having a long term sleepover party. With next year being our last in CHS, I think this whole bunking together is gonna give us a lot of fine memories." With the amount of adventures you guys are having this season, you might just make a whole lot more.

"Well I'm glad you're all enjoying it. After what happened with you, Rarity and Sunset, you guys deserve to feel safe somewhere."

"Yup." Applejack gleefully added before suddenly brushing her legs together doing what her friends would say: A Fluttershy pose. "And speaking of memories. There's actually something I wanted to ask you."

"Oh?" The blue boy blinked.

"You know how my folks and I have this tradition? That every year after every apple harvest festival, we send a theme photo to all our friends and families."

His eyes lit up recalling a certain photo he got. "Oh yeah. I remember that. Last year you guys were dressed up as fruits and vegetables in that… giant… goat horn canicap…"

"Cornucopia."

"Yeah. That thing you just said. Carnacus…"

She chuckled. "Anyway, this year Granny Smith wants us to dress up as snowmen. She also asked that each of us bring in one new friend along for the photo. I was thinking you might wanna be my Plus-1."

"Me? Really?"

"Is it… not a good time?"

"No no. Not at all. I just didn't think I'd be part of your family tradition." He coughed shyly into his hand. "As a matter of fact. I'd be… honored to be part of your family photo."

"Really!?" Her face practically beamed.

"Really. And… I could really use some new photos of me. Haven't had much of those since the annual yearbook." Flash rubbed the side of his neck looking rather embarrassed before noticing his band mates waving at him from the side of the stage. "Oh. Looks like our break time's over. Tell me all about your photo shoot later."

"You got it! Break a leg out there."

"Only way I know how." He winked back. "Oh and maybe after our show, mind saving a dance for me?"

Applejack grinned and placed one hand on her hip. "I'll be waiting." She waved him off calmly as his band began prepping for their second half of their performance. When the boy was no longer in sight, the cowgirl casually made her way to the restroom finding herself a stall. When the door closed on her she let out the most adorable squeak that imitated that of a sheep call.

xxxxxxxxxx

The mission was a success! Luna felt like one of those thieves in those movies committing dangerous heists. Breaking into fortresses and stealing treasures right from under their noses. Though admittedly that would be pretty much an exaggeration as her fortress was just her school gym and her treasure was just a bunch of foodstuff she pilfered from the buffet table. But hey… treasure is treasure no matter what form it takes.

Looking at her watch she noticed that she still had about six minutes to spare before anyone notices her missing from the party. Flash and his band should be going back on stage any minute now to finish off their performance. If she's lucky, hardly anyone would miss her presence there.

"So~ got my stuff?" Cranky Doodle asked appearing from the corner of her eyes with a grin that suggested otherwise. He looked weary, one hand holding the back of his hip as he tried to stand tall. All that extra maneuvers must've taken its toll on his old body.

"Two cases of cider and half a platter of tacos." She handed him his share before popping two bottles from her own stash to share. He graciously accepted, clinking their drinks together. "That was some fine dancing you did there. I never would've guessed that a man like you could pull off those kinds of moves."

"And Matilda keeps saying that all those extra dance lessons were a waste of time." Cranky laughed taking a bite off his treat. "Just don't expect me to do anything like that in a while."

"Noted." She smirked. "But I could use your help in the canned food drive next year. I hear that there'll be a number of donors who'll be contributing peaches for the event."

Cranky paused, taking one quick sip. "I'm sure we'll be able to work something out." They laughed, clinking their bottles once more. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership."

"More like accomplices." She added which earned another chuckle from him.

"Speaking of accomplices, where's Celestia? I thought she'd be around for the last school party."

Luna rolled her eyes. "She's on a big date."

"Oh?" The old donkey muttered before his eyes shot up in realization. "OH! You mean with Sombra? Wow… it must be serious then. I never thought of her to be someone who'd go on dates with her workaholic attitude." On that regard Luna agreed with him wholeheartedly. Her sister has always been a shy one, especially when it came to interpersonal relationships. But ever since she officially began dating her old flame from school, she's been going out far more often than she'd like. Heck she even decided to bend the rules. "Heh… what about you?"

She blinked. "What about me?"

"Don't you have anyone special in your life? Like another rich billionaire?"

Her eyes rolled once more as she let out a laugh. "If you're looking for a scandal, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere Cranky."

"Hey, don't take it the wrong way. I'm just saying that a lady like you shouldn't be moping around while your sister is having all the fun." Oh god. He sounded like an uncle who was trying to set her up with someone. "And if you want, I know some good fellas out there who'd go out with you."

"Thanks Cranky. But I'm fine. Seriously." She said that last word out sternly shutting the whole conversation down before he could add anymore.

He quickly raised his hand up in defense as he finished his drink. "Alright alright. No need to go Vice-Principal on me. I'm just saying. Matilda kept pestering me to hook you up with someone. But if you change your mind, you can always ask." Yeah… never. "I should probably head back. It won't look good if both chaperones aren't present at the party."

Once he was gone, Luna let off a sigh. She honestly couldn't really see herself settling with anyone. Relationships weren't exactly her strong suit either.

A loud rustling from the nearby bushes suddenly interrupted her thoughts. And while she didn't expect anything dangerous, she took a stance readying herself for combat. Quietly she reached for her purse grabbing the closest thing she could use for a weapon.

"Hello? Is someone there?" There was another rustle, followed by a long pause of awkward silence, before a young lady in a dress walked out with one hand smothering her face. "Ms. Cheerilee?" Luna's muscle unbuckled recognizing the figure. She was supposedly one of the chaperones assigned to this party.

"Oh! V… Vice-Principal Luna! H… hello there." The teacher greeted awkwardly, her hand brushing against the back of her hair while her cheeks turned redder than a tomato looking like a child who was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Nice weather we're having?" Was that a question or a statement?

Luna opened her mouth to speak but was again interrupted when a second figure appeared from the bushes, limping on one leg. The boy smiled giddily before it fell off his face shattering to a thousand pieces when their eyes locked. It was a student she was familiar with as well. And what the two of them were doing in the bushes away from the lively party in the middle of the quiet night didn't need to be explained either. The two buttons of his shirt were messily undone, his cute bowtie yanked crudely to one side. His suit was covered in dirt and his blonde hair ruffled. There was also a mark inches from his mouth where lipstick was smudged.

"I was… helping him get some fresh air." The young teacher said, with what Luna considered was a remarkable lie.

Fresh air huh? Oh I think we both know what kind of air you've been breathing.

The bottle of cider slipped from her fingers landing on the soft snow below.

"We were just… getting some fresh air." Cheerilee maintained, her voice falling flat while her partner fixed himself trying his darn best to look like nothing happened.

…

Oh for the love of…

Luna stared at her co-worker, then at the blonde boy before sighing heavily into her hand.

"Carry on then."

"Thank you, ma'am!" The two immediately walked away hand in hand, the Vice-Principal wondering if anyone would notice their hurried pace or what others would think of it if they were seen. If word of this got out, CHS' reputation will burn to the ground. But who cares? That was Celestia's problem. Not hers. And she was probably out enjoying her date with that rich billionaire.

With a low groan she opened her car and searched through her loot bag. She was sure that there was a bucket of ice cream in here somewhere.


	34. Island of Magic

**Chapter 34: The Island of Magic**

**(Thursday) (Freefall Island)**

Freefall Island was a little plot of land slab right in the middle of the ocean. It was about an hour ferry ride from the city's port situated close enough for people to visit but far enough to get the smog out of your face. It was about as big as an island could probably get so close to the mainland.

The island's natural beauty was preserved thanks to the little interference to humans since its colonial days. The tree lines here were sparse which gave a perfect view of the island's wide open meadows. A beautiful waterfall in which the island was named after stretched from the far off hill culminating into a gorgeous river snaking across the plains. The only two manmade structures around here were the fishing wharf where the ferry landed, and the enormous decrepit castle situated on the hill on the other side of the island. Everything here was covered with a thick layer of snow, hiding its true beauty within.

Sunset was the first to set foot on the pier, leaving the ferry with her friends in tow. The smell of salt water was in the air and the sound of waves crashing by the rocks.

"Looks like this is the place." She motioned to her friends who walked out of the ferry in order. Strangely enough the ferryman stated that they were perhaps his only customers he had these last few weeks. "You guys ready?"

"Born ready!" Rainbow Dash was unsurprisingly thrilled about this. You could always count on her when the chips were down. The others followed suit in their own way.

Well… all except Applejack of course who raised a finger up as she leaned next to the pier, her face turning greener than her apple trees. "I might… need a minute… or two. I think I forgot to pack my sea legs again. Hurghhkk!" She threw up a minute later much to their disgust. "Mind telling me who thought it was a good idea riding a boat so early in the morning?"

"I thought you like waking up early." Sunset spoke.

"Don't take it the wrong way. I like waking at the crack of dawn but only to harvest the apples and doin my chores. Not… ugh… cruising through the ocean. Hurgkk!" Another hurl came through turning her greener than a melon. "Ugh… next time we go on an adventure, we're flying." Fluttershy came up to her offering a mint which she gladly accepted.

"Relax AJ." Rainbow Dash patted her friend on the back earning a glare from the cowgirl. "We're finally on land. Just walk it off and you'll be fine. Besides, we needed to get here early because we want to catch that Hoity guy by surprise. We don't want to experience what happened when we fought Cinch. And… just for a peace of mind. We're sure that he doesn't have anything like that Magic Trap, right?"

"Absolutely sure." Twilight confirmed it. "The one that Cinch used was the only one I made and it doesn't look like she shared that knowledge with any members of the secret society. And the one she fixed was destroyed. Completely. But we have to remember: These people have known about magic far longer than we have and they've hoarded a number of magical artifacts. So there's no telling what tricks they have up their sleeves."

"I know someone who always has a trick up her sleeves." Pinkie chirpily stated which didn't really add much to the conversation. "Trixie…"

"Not to mention that Hoity has his hands on the Memory Stone." Sunset reminded them, bitterly recalling that accursed relic. "We can't let our guard down."

"Speaking of Hoity." Fluttershy interjected casting a glance to their surroundings. "Isn't he supposed to be scouting a venue here? I don't see anything close to a resort."

"It's probably just hidden inside." Rarity shrugged. "You don't find the perfect hotel with just a quick look darling."

"There's a jeep rental." Twilight pointed at the said store, which seemed to be only building here. In fact… it was the only thing that was standing here other than the empty pier.

xxxxxxxxxx

The door opened with a cute casual clink of the bell. The store looked old and lacked in maintenance. Everything looked like it was falling apart. Even the ceiling fan creaked and choked like it was ready to give up the ghost.

"Wow…" Applejack gawked feeling much better now that the ocean wasn't in sight. "This place looks older than Granny Smith and Goldie combined."

"More like ancient." Rainbow Dash corrected shifting her fingers through a rack of magazines. "Look at all this junk. I think everything here is way passed their expiration date."

"It can't be that bad." Sunset shrugged.

"Wanna bet? Their latest Hot Gossip magazine isn't even updated. It's from summer… of last year!"

Ouch. That makes you wonder what else here was past their shelf life.

Even Twilight didn't feel like touching anything. "Why don't we just rent a ride?" She turned to the clerk by the counter who was snoozing on the job, leaning on his chair, his trucker hat tilted over his face. "Excuse me? Hello? A little customer service here."

"Zzzzzz… zzzzzz…" Well he's certainly an employee of the month material.

"Hey buddy!" Sunset slammed her hand over the counter startling the guy off his chair.

"Gah! I'm awake! I wasn't sleeping!" The man looked up and noted the two girls looking down on him. "Oh… uh… aheh. Customers! H… hi! Hello." He added awkwardly which reminded them of Fluttershy's brother. The man then followed it up by casting a glance at his desk clearly reading a sales pitch from a note he wrote down. "Welcome, sir or madam, to the Freefall Gift Shop and touring service. We offer you the best deals and pieces… er… I mean prices for all your shopping needs." Even his smile looked forced and awkward. "So what can I get you girls? We got some of the latest island fashion design and limited edition souvenirs. Better get them quick while supplies last. You'll never know what you missed."

"You mean these things?" Rarity pointed at the empty clothing section which had two hats and a coat that seemed to have been stitched together by a flimsy seamstress. "I wouldn't be caught dead in those things even if it kills me."

"Aheh… yeah… sorry." The clerk rubbed his neck shyly. "We haven't really had any new stock in a while. Not exactly easy access aheh…"

But then Rainbow Dash noted something familiar about the guy. The awkward speech, the accent and the hair. "Hold up." She brushed Twilight aside getting a better look. "Quibble Pants!? Is that you?"

The man's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Rainbow Dash! Wow! Fancy meeting you here. I almost didn't recognize you. What are you doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"I should be asking you that question. What are you doing working at this dum-p… er… place? Weren't you working at the newspapers before?"

"Eh… they laid me off." He shrugged sadly. "After my article regarding Countess Coloratura got debunked, they had to let me go to save the company's 'reputation' or something. So I decided to go for a change of pace and found an opening here." He tapped the corner of the building which prompted a piece of the ceiling to come crashing down. "Ok it's not the busiest place in the city but we get by… somehow. The island isn't exactly getting a lot in the way of tourism but that's going to change very soon. I hope."

"Yeesh. And how is it?"

"Meh. The pay is ok. Nothing to fret about. I work here four days a week and get the weekend off. Not a bad gig considering this place being so far off. I also double as a park ranger." He flashed his fake badge like it was his pride and joy. "Though I'm pretty much just a glorified tour guide to be honest."

"I'm sure you'll get somewhere someday." Rainbow Dash assured him. "Speaking of which. How are you and Clear Sky doing?"

"Oh it's wonderful. She's been the most amazing and supportive lady in my life. And it's never been better. I even got Wind Sprint to join us on a baseball game this weekend."

"Uh… Rainbow." Sunset called out feeling like they were being left out. "A little introduction here?"

"Oh! Right. Guys. I'd like you to meet my good friend, Quibble Pants. We met at a Daring Do convention a while back. He's a writer back when I first met him. We've been pen-pals ever since your his fanfiction went public." Quibble let out a shy puff of his cheeks. "Quibble. These are my friends. Twilight, Sunset, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and the crazy one eating your expired ice cream is Pinkie."

The pinkette's ears twitched at the mention of her name, one hand already opening a wrapper of a Popsicle. "What? You do know these things are still edible, right? Ice cream doesn't expire!" But apparently they do.

They decided to leave her be. If a girl like her can go through the Brain-Freeze challenge unscathed, a few bad icing won't do too much damage.

"Anyway Quibble. As much as I want to catch up, we're kind of a bit in a hurry. You wouldn't happen to know about a new resort around here, would you?"

The employee tilted his head in thought before answering. "Oh! You mean that new place on the island that's about to open this weekend? Yeah. Sure I do. It's at the top of the island by the woods. It shouldn't take you more than a 30 minute drive to get there. Just follow the path and up the hill. You seriously cannot miss it. Hope you brought a good ride. The roads here aren't exactly comfortable."

"We were hoping we could rent one of your jeeps actually." Sunset added.

He cringed. That was never a good sign. "Oooh… sorry. But all our rentals were already handed out."

"WHAT!?" His fellow Daring Do fan snapped. "How's that possible? I thought you said you barely had anyone coming through here?"

"Ehhh… tourism might be bad but business is actually kinda booming." Was it though? Judging by this place and the lack of customers or sales for that matter, people might say that they were going out of business. "The guys at the resort rented my whole stock for some big gig happening next week. Those jeeps were pretty much the only thing here that were actually maintained around here."

"All of them?" Twilight asked.

"Yup. The whole shebang. They even took out insurances for it. As a matter of fact… they came down here this morning twice to pick up some VIPs."

That could only be for Hoity's pageant show for sure. Sunset couldn't think of any other reason why anyone would rent a fleet of cars just for fun.

"Would one of them happen to be Hoity Toity?"

Quibble blinked. "Is he a tall fellow with puffy hair, wearing super fancy clothes, smells like a million bucks, and wears shades that I could never afford with a year's worth of this salary?" They nodded hesitantly. "Yeah he was here." Damn it! Sunset hoped to catch the guy before he got to the island. But it looks like that fashionista was an even more early-bird than Applejack. "If you're looking for him, he came by about an hour ago and rented the last ride we had here. I heard him talking with the resort manager about seeing the sights after their business. I bet my hat that he's probably at the castle at the top of the hill."

Rarity groaned. "It'll take us forever to get there on foot. And I didn't exactly pack my walking boots for this trip."

"Maybe for you slowpokes." Rainbow Dash chuckled. "But I can get there before any of you can say pie."

"Pie!" Pinky cheered much to her chagrin. "Oh… you're still here."

"Well why don't I drive you?" Quibble offered holding up the keys to his car. "I got my own ride at the back. I can get you guys there in a spiffy."

"Really? That's great!"

"Uh… are you sure it's alright for you to leave the counter?" Twilight got her answer when Quibble put on a sign that said 'Out for lunch'. "But it's not even noon!"

"Give it a rest Twilly. The guy's offering. May as well take it."

"Besides, it's not like this place gets any customers." Quibble added gesturing to the emptiness of the place. "It'll be good to stretch my legs. And I still owe you for that fiasco with the Tunnel Maze replica in the Daring Do Convention."

Rainbow waved it off. "Oh please. If you had read the fourth volume of Daring Do's Adventures, you'd know that the exit to the Maze of Pachu-Pichu was through the Snail Path, not the Eagle Path."

"And boy was that fun. Besides it's not that long of a drive. Come on."

**(Rich Resort)**

Flash had seen a number of resorts before. Some specialized in one feature or another but he had to admit that this one had to take the cake. Whoever designed this place really had an eye for architecture.

Certainly the rich and wealthy will be coming here to make use of this place and all of its facilities. Spa, outdoor sauna, massage and a variety of other services, this place will be rolling in cash in no time. Especially now with the holidays coming.

"Like what you see, kido?" An older gentleman asked in an overly friendly manner.

"It's really impressive." Flash nodded back, eyeing the place from his VIP booth where a very important meeting took place not long ago.

"Good to hear that from another man's perspective. I spent a small fortune bringing this place up, and that place in Everfree Woods. It'd be a poor investment if it didn't appeal to the younger generation. Be sure to tell all your friends about this place. I can guarantee that you'll find no

"I will Mr. Rich."

"Please. Just call me Rich." Filthy added with a casual smile. "With your help we're practically business partners at this point."

"I didn't really do all that much. I just signed a few papers."

"Signed a few papers? Egads boy." The billionaire entrepreneur gasped feigning shock. "Don't sell yourself short. It might look like a small thing to you just moving your hands and smiling for the camera. But those papers helped this place out more than any money could do. And make no mistake, sonny boy. Once we get this place up and running with the first batch of customers, we'll be rolling in so much dough, your father's election campaign will be in the bag." Oh right. Now it's all starting to make sense. "At this point, it's all about waiting for people to cast their vote. You must be pretty excited for him. Becoming the son of the future mayor of Canterlot."

"Yeah… ecstatic." Yeah, he was definitely looking forward to having a protection detail around him once his dad gets into office. It took him a whole lot of effort to hide his pedigree from his friends. Now it'll be practically impossible to hide his when his dad's face is projected on TV whenever something big happens.

"Speaking of our grand opening. You wanna try out some of our facilities here? We also double as a hotel. I'll give you the deluxe penthouse free of charge~."

"Thanks. But I think I'll just head back to the pier. I got some friends back in the city. And no offense Mr. Rich. But I kinda want to spend the rest of my Winter Holiday at home."

"Hmm… a shame, but I can respect that. Don't let that stop you from buying something from our gift shop though. They have some limited items for sale. Get them while they're in still stock."

"Mr. Rich, sir." A shy employee interjected much to the man's annoyance.

"What is it now Teddie Safari? Can't you see I'm with a very VERY important guest right now?"

The little lady flinched, her bones fearing unemployment. "Y… yes sir. S… sorry to interrupt. But we have a problem with the catering service. They said that they won't be able to get the imported peach drink that you ordered."

"WHAT!?" Filthy roared poking one finger over the woman like he was trying to drill holes into her skin. "This is unacceptable! I paid full price for that delivery. How can they not bring it?"

"It's… it's the weather sir. The flights are being delayed due to the light snow storm coming through and the ferry isn't exactly moving 24/7."

"Then find another way to bring them here. Hoity Toity's pageant show has to go perfectly. That man paid upfront on the whole resort. For the whole week and I expect everything to be like he wanted. If anything goes wrong and he wants a refund, it'll be coming out of your pocket!"

"Hoity Toity?" Flash's ears perked up to the name. "He's… here?"

Filthy dismissed the attendant and returned his attention to the boy. "Sorry about that. Some big shot in town made some orders for next week for some pageant show. You know him?"

He shrugged casually, hiding his excitement. "I might've heard about him. My friend is actually part of his show. He… wouldn't happen to be here, would he?"

"No. I think he just wanted to rent the place and bolted off after he gave all his instructions. Cash in hand. Some of his contestants already rented rooms here too. I think he said something about visiting the castle on the hill."

The castle on the hill. Flash remembered seeing that place when he arrived at the pier. It looked mysterious and ominous from afar. A perfect place for some kind of magical activity.

"You wouldn't happen to have a ride I can rent for the day, would you?"

**(Camp Everfree)**

Gloriosa Daisy held a gleeful smile that morning as she made her way through her office looking at the camp's financial statement. It wasn't this often that she would be this chippy but she couldn't contain her joy.

With the number of people wanting to make reservations on the camp, her numbers have skyrocketed through the roof. Ever since the renovations were done and the advertisement sent out, her family's camp would be making enough money to keep the place running for a long while. She was worried that Filthy Rich's new spa resort next door would hamper her operations here but instead it just brought more people to her doorstep. At this rate she might even say that she was stealing customers from him. Not that she was complaining. Heck with the money they made from the fundraising events she was even able to hire a few hands to help out with the camp.

No more 'I got this' slogan when you got someone else to handle them.

And thankfully there really wasn't much to do. With the snow coming in hard, the campers pretty much just wanted to enjoy the cabins for themselves. Even happy couples paid extra in advance to rent a few of them for the whole week. Normally she wouldn't allow such a thing, but if they were paying top buck, who was she to say no?

"Hey."

"GWAHHHH!" Her papers flew in a fit of panic when a voice startled her. "Timber!? How…? You're… here?"

"Oh… sorry. Is this a bad time?"

"What? No! Pfft. Of course not." She huddled down and gathered her papers. "I was just… surprised. You don't come as often as before. Wait… you're not here for the cabin you rented out earlier, are you?"

"No… that's still next week."

"Oh great. Because I rented it off to a couple for the weekend. You can't begin to imagine how many people are asking to rent our newly built cabins! My phone has been ringing non-stop. We even got clients from out of the city. People from out of town actually know of our camp! Do you know what this means!?"

"That we have a more diverse customer base?"

"It means that Camp Everfree is now on the map, baby! That's right. This place will be going international in just a few months. I knew those posters we put out in the city was going to work out." That and the updated website that he made for the camp. But he wasn't gonna mention that. "Oh and by the way. That wifi deal we signed on was a great idea. I can get so much work done with the internet. So why are you here? Finally decided to drop that big city dream of yours and return to your roots because you realized that it was your destiny to run this place with me?"

He rolled his eyes. "No and never will. And will you please stop asking?"

"Meh. It's worth a shot." Gloriosa took her seat by her desk. "So why are you here?"

He rubbed his head shyly as he replied. "I was… actually looking for some… help."

Gloriosa blinked. "Help? What kind of help? You're not in trouble, are you? Did you run into debt? Did you take a loan off a shady character who's now threatening to break every bone in your body because you won't pay!?"

"What? No! And you really need to stop watching those old gangster movies." Timber grumbled lowly, tracing one hand over his face. "I need help. The relationship kind. You know that I'm dating Twilight, right?"

"That girl from CHS. Yeah. I remember." She nodded. "Has a cute hairstyle, wears glasses and has that strangely talking… dog. Wasn't she moving in with you? You pretty much bragged about it the other day."

"She's supposed to. But then she got all this magical adventure so we're holding it off."

"You didn't let her see my room, did you?"

"That's not important right now. What's important is that… I got a feeling that… she's distancing herself from me."

"Oh…" His sister closed her mouth. "Oh… I see. You mean THAT kind of relationship problem. Well… I'm not exactly the best when it comes to these kinds of problem. But as your sister… I can hear you out?" She offered him a cup of coffee from her pot. "Now. Tell me what's bugging you. Twilight seems like a nice girl last time I checked. She doesn't look like the type who'd break up with someone without a good reason."

"She's the best. Really." Timber nodded back taking a quick sip from his cup. "It's just that this is her first ever serious relationship and I think she doesn't exactly know what she's doing… or feeling for that matter."

"Oh? And what makes you say that?" She switched to her camp counselor mode tapping her index fingers together as she listened. If she were a psychiatrist she'd be sitting on a comfortable chair while timber laid on a couch mentioning all his woes to her.

"It's a feeling. You know? Like the kind of feeling I get whenever you're up to another one of your antics." Yeesh. And we all know how well that went. "But honestly… I… I think there might be another guy involved."

Gloriosa's eyes shot up through the roof. "Really?" She brushed her paperwork aside, her attention fully on her brother. Gloriosa wouldn't call herself a girly kind of girl. But when a scandal of this proportion comes to your table, you'd drop everything just to listen. "Another guy? You think someone's trying to steal Twilight from you? That's bold. Who is it?"

"Some weird-crazy rocker, Flash Sentry. He was in the same group as Twilight and her friends."

She tilted her head up in thought. The name sounded familiar. "Flash Sentry. Oh! Isn't he the singer for that super-famous rock band that's been on the internet lately? I think they played for the fundraising event in the city."

"Yeah… him." Ooooh~ someone's grouchy. Jealously grouchy.

"I remember him. He was that blue haired guy with the guitar. He's not that good looking."

"Thank you!" He waved his hands up frantically. "Finally someone notices." He was so easy to please.

"And you think this guy is trying to take your Twilight?"

"Well… no. Yes. I mean… I think so." Make up your mind kid. It was one or the other. "It's just that whenever we're together, she keeps talking about him like he's the next big thing. It's like she got this crush on him but she doesn't even know it."

"Wow… that's bad."

"It is! And just because they have magical adventures together the two of them have something in common. He has the unfair advantage!"

"Come on now Timber. I'm sure you're just overreacting. Twilight is sweet. A little nosy at times but very sweet. They're probably just good friends."

"She goes to him whenever there's a crisis, she thinks he's the best ever." He added, hands gripping on his cup noting that it had somehow been emptied. "And because of that, she talks about him every chance she gets. She doesn't understand it that every time she does that it makes me feel like…"

"You're the third wheel in the relationship?"

"EXACTLY!" He shouted refilling his cup and consuming it at the same time. After finally drinking the last drop he smashed the cup on the table clattering everything. But thankfully that did the trick and calmed him down. "It's just… frustrating."

"Aww… sweet sweet Timber." She cooed, ruffling his hair cutely. "While I'm the last person you should be talking about with this. As your sister, I might have some advice." Well mostly stuff she heard on TV but she wasn't gonna mention that. "I think you should really be discussing this with Twilight. I mean… the first step to a good and healthy relationship is communication. I'm sure that if you two talk it over, she'll understand completely that she's been making you feel… well… miserable."

"Ok?" The boy understood that. "But what if she decides to break up with me and go with this Flash guy instead?"

"Stop thinking about the worst case scenario and start thinking of a solution. Twilight loves you and you love her. I know it's hard but nothing worth doing is ever easy. If you try hard enough I'm sure you'll reignite that feeling you two have for one another."

"We're already moving in together."

"Ah pfft. Easy maneuver." Gloriosa puffed her lips mockingly. "When was the last time you two had a proper date? When was the last time you gave her flowers or chocolates? Big moves are fine in long intervals but it's the small gestures that really stacks up."

"Well we did go on this one date to the movies."

"Ugh… bleh." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Movies? Please sweetie. You gotta go for something more… grand. Take her somewhere nice."

"We've been dating for over a year now. I think I've taken her to all the coolest places in Canterlot."

"Then spice it up!" She chastised him. "Like… remember that time when she took you to the planetarium?"

"Yeah?"

"And remember how you told me how magical and memorable it was?"

"Yeah…"

"That's how you get her back. Mix it up a little. Give her both a sense of nostalgia of the happiest moments of your relationship and put something new on the table. You can't just wait and wander thinking that it'll just work out. Relationship takes hard work." Gloriosa pumped her fist up. "You need to show Twilight that you're twice the man this Flash Sentry ever could be. Show her that you can step up your game. Show her that she's already dating the best guy in town!"

"Yeah… YEAH!" Timber wasn't really sure why he seemed so pump. Either he was just desperate for some advice or his sister's words actually moved him. "I am the best. I'll show Twilight that she's already dating the best. You're right. I can't mope around doing nothing. I need to step up my game." He drank what remained off the pot and bolted off. "Sorry, but I got some arrangements to make. Thanks for the pep talk sis."

"Any time. Just remember: My room is off limits."

"You never come visit anyway!"

"Still my room!"

**(Castle Hoofbeard)**

Twilight gasped at the historical site of Castle Hoofbeard. She read about the place on the internet a few times though most of them came from folk tales and legends.

The castle was built during the early years of the colonial period when settlers first came ashore on the mainland. It was used by the militia first as a lighthouse to guide ships, and later as a stronghold to keep pirates away. But when the city grew over time and roads built, the place came into disuse and disrepair. The locals came to abandon it entirely which brought pirates to use it as their hideout.

Therein came the legend of the castle itself.

A certain (in)famous pirate called Hoofbeard became a legend on these waters. He robbed many vessels and plundered hundreds of villages across the shorelines becoming a villain in the history books. It was said that his ship would appear one moment and then vanish the next. A rather pointless exaggeration. But the interesting part came next. Some say that many of the things he store included magical relics from a bygone era. It was along his prime that a myth came to be.

Somehow he angered the sea and brought upon its wrath upon his domain. A mighty tidal wave strode in, slamming its outer walls and weighed it down until the cliff collapsed. It was as if the very ocean itself was trying to pull the castle to the depths of the ocean.

A bit of a romanticizing but not unwelcome.

"Here we are, ladies." Quibble declared as he drove up to the flimsy drawbridge which looked ready to collapse at any moment. "Castle Hoofbeard. The legendary pirate fortress."

"It's… kind of scary." Fluttershy shuddered as the rest got out of the jeep. And she wasn't wrong on that regard either. The castle looked ominous up close. Even more so now with the snow piling on its walls.

Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, though for a totally different reason. "Decrepit look, creepy atmosphere, ominous shadows, and possible mystery and secrets hidden below? This has all the hallmarks of…"

"Daring Do and the Castle of Fate!" She and Quibble declared in unison.

"I know, right? I totally had the same idea when I came here first! It even has the deep moat of doom, deadly traps. And pit falls."

The sports gal grinned. "All that's missing now is the poisoned tip ballista at the top of the watchtower!" They giddied like a bunch of fans in their own world.

Twilight rolled her eyes at them but quickly came to a stop when she realized something. "Wait… did you say traps?"

"Yesiree. This place is riddled with tons of traps from back in the day to ward off trespassers. Rotating walls, spikes that poke out of the floors and ceilings, even giant rolling boulders at one point."

"That's awesome!"

"It's too bad that they're all broken after this whole place got torn up."

"Aww…" Rainbow sulked.

Still, that didn't exactly sit well with Twilight knowing that they were walking into some kind of death trap. But before she could complain, one of her gizmos started acting up. "Whoa. Looks like we hit the jackpot guys. My tracker is picking up a strong magical signature coming inside. And from the looks of it. It's the same kind of magic from the other Yaztec artifacts."

"And lookie what I found." Applejack called out pointing to another two jeeps that hid just outside of the bushes. "Looks like someone's here before us."

"Hmm… Chartrise and Sons. That is definitely Hoity Toity." Rarity confirmed it after a quick sniff which earned her a look from her friends. "Attention to detail is my talent dearies. I've hung around that man for a long while now. The stench of his cologne leaves a very distinctive and expensive smell. Chartrise and Sons is a brand you don't just buy for kicks. And… there is another one, but I don't quite remember where I smelled this."

"That's good to know." Sunset nodded back, thanking her confirmation. "But why would a Yaztec relic be here? These ruins look nothing like them."

"It's possible that the relic was stolen." Twilight added her hypothesis. "The pirate Hoofbeard, who this castle was named after its capture, was notorious for robbing all sorts of treasures and trinkets from all over the world. It's possible that he might've taken it from someone or someplace else. They say that all of his ill-gotten loot was dragged to the ocean when the cliff collapsed and was never recovered or found."

"Pirates, treasures, and now magical artifacts!?" Rainbow glee, barely containing her excitement. "This totally makes up for missing out on that adventure in the caves! I may as well be writing the next Daring Do film. What are we waiting for? Let's go in there and find us some Evil Magic!"

Her enthusiasm was refreshing but some feared that it might just lead her to danger.

"Well I'm heading back." Quibble announced returning to his vehicle. "As much as I like a good adventure, I prefer to read them from the safety of my books."

Sunset nodded back in understanding. The last thing she wanted was for another friend to be caught in the crossfire. "Thanks again for the drive Quibble."

"Anything for Rainbow Dash and her friends. Just remember to get back to the pier before sundown. That's when the last ferry leaves for the city. Otherwise you'll be stuck here all night. And trust me. This isn't a place you'd wanna get stranded on. I should know. I learned that the hard way."

And with that last warning the young gentleman drove off leaving the girls behind to turn and stare at the castle. If this were some kind of movie, they'd be the heroes about to storm the lair of an evil villain.

xxxxxxxxxx

The whole castle looked even more ominous on the inside.

With the amount of critters and insects scurrying around, one could tell that no one had been here for a very long time. In fact, when they finally got a good look of the place, it was a miracle that the castle was still standing at all. It looked like the whole place could come down at any moment and the only thing holding it together were the cobwebs and dust. One wrong move could probably spell disaster for anyone inside.

Relics from the colonial age could still be seen around here. Ancient cannons from the sailing days stood where always have, remaining vigilant, even though the ones that manned them no longer existed. There were even a few cannonballs piled besides them, never to be fired. The smell of salt, brine and gunpowder lingered in the air while seagulls hugged the coastline. Back in the day this place would've looked very intimidating to the ordinary sailor. But now… looking at all the wear and tear and the giant gaping hole where half of the castle used to be, it had a more sense of mystery than fear.

"Alright everyone. Group meeting." Rainbow declared calling everyone to attention. "We don't want to follow the same trope as all the other mystery hunters fall for. So rule number 1: No matter what happens, we stick together. I don't know why the adventurers split up in movies but that's always how the bad guys pick them off. I don't care if we can't cover more ground. So from here on out, no one goes anywhere alone."

"Sounds like you're the expert on dungeon crawling." Applejack chuckled under her breath. "I guess all them video games did pay off in the long run. But it makes sense. That's how these shadow monsters have been picking us after all. I'm all for this buddy system."

"Me too." Fluttershy agreed wholeheartedly, already grabbing Pinkie's arm. "There's no way I'm going in there alone."

"Then it's settled. We work as a team! So… where to first?" Rainbow picked out some options. "How about that creepy room in the corner with the equally creepy creaking door? Oh! How about the deathly gorge below with all those dangerous looking rocks sticking out of the cliffs? Or maybe we could go through the deathly scary hallway that's bound to be full of traps and haunting ghosts!?" Each mention seemed to make Fluttershy shiver harder.

"We can start… right… here." Rarity pointed over to a fireplace at the far end corner of what looked like the remainder of the castle barracks. The walls were torn down and most of the beds were shattered to splinters but you can tell that a lot of folks slept there. The fashionista took a whiff of the place sensing a certain smell. "Oh my. Yes. He's definitely been through here."

"How do you know?"

"The smell of his perfume is feint but recognizable darling. I never forget a stench." She added before turning her phone-flashlight on the ground where a shoe mark was present. "That and… these fresh footprints. You can hide the mud under all that snow, but you can't hide the mud from the floors. Hmm… an Alexis McQueen… size 10. Now I'm absolutely certain he was here."

Twilight couldn't contain her amazement. "Wow Rarity. That's… impressive. We'd never have noticed that. You'd make an awesome detective."

"Oh I know darling." She struck a pose before suddenly changing her attire to that of a private eye before pulling out a magnifying glass out of her pockets. "Now if you'll all follow me, we can follow this trail to our perp!"

"And don't forget these." Sunset pulled out her backpack producing the artifacts from Equestria. "Remember how we practiced with these artifacts?" They nodded back, a few of them gathering the tools they were familiar with.

With one last nod the gang followed suit, keeping a watchful eye over their steps. But unaware to our fair girls, a shadowy figure slithered out of the corner of the room, grinning menacingly like a predator watching its prey walk right into its trap. It chuckled softly before slinking into the walls, traversing the castle like a snake.

xxxxxxxxxx

Deep within the bowels of the castle, Hoity Toity sat comfortably in what looked like the captain's quarters, sipping a cup of coffee he brought from the resort some time ago. While the rest of the place looked old and decrepit, it still had some places that was livable.

…

When his minion returned, his ears perked up to listen. "They're here? Already?" He looked shocked, sounded shocked, yet his face contorted this twisted smile. "Did they bring the portal stone with them?"

…

"No? But they have other magical artifacts? Are you sure?"

…

"Other magical sources? Here?"

…

"Well now. This certainly turned out to be quite interesting." He put down his coffee and brought out his bracelet. "It looks like Cinch was hiding more from us than we originally thought. I was hoping for a simple trap. But these girls brought me a bigger prey to snack on." He chuckled softly before turning to his shadow. "I do so love a good scavenger hunt. That and… a good game of hide and seek."


	35. A Pirate's Secret

**Chapter 35: A Pirate's Secret**

**(Castle Hoofbeard)**

Twilight's feet felt sore as they trodden down the long hallway feeling the darkness encroach. It's been over 20 minutes since they first entered the castle and after walking endlessly through its crumbling corridors and ancient architecture some of them began to wonder if this castle actually looked smaller from the outside.

Despite most of it being torn down by the elements ages ago, the castle itself seemed to have been built within the cliffs. The pioneers dug deep within the earth, building rooms upon rooms that acted as both storage and accommodation for those that actually lived here. And sadly the deeper they went, the darker it became. It got so bad that they had to light up their geodes and their phones just to make sure that they didn't step onto anything vital or fragile.

"Ugh… seriously how deep do these tunnels go." Rainbow Dash complained rubbing her aching foot. "We've been going on for hours now and there hasn't been a single exciting thing."

"It's only been twenty minutes." Sunset corrected. "And didn't we just pass one of the traps?"

"Which was broken." She whined and complained. The spike trap they came across was triggered a long time ago… or maybe it was broken during the fall of the castle. Its jagged wooden tips were already weakened and weathered and the mechanism that worked it broke under the lack of maintenance. "Come on. I was expecting something exciting! Something scary! Like the time you and Twilight fought off that Cyclops in the Everfree Woods."

"Oh I don't know about you. But that suit of armor we came across was pretty scary."

"Fluttershy. You're scared of everything."

"Well you might want to curb your expectations." Sunset chuckled, placing a hand over Fluttershy. "The ruins we explored were those of Yaztec origins. I doubt we'll find anything similar to that around here." That… and Twilight didn't seem keen on meeting that monster again. Not until they knew how to defeat it.

"Ahh… poop." Rainbow Dash groaned kicking a stone over to the wall. She expected danger, mystery. The kind of stuff Daring Do would find on a daily basis.

But just as they continued, a scream at the head of the column made them jolt upward.

"Rarity!?" They rushed to the fashionista's side readying themselves for battle. "What happened? What did you find!?"

"It's a disaster!" She screamed picking something from the floor. "Someone dropped this perfectly good engraved scarf! And now it's torn and muddied all over! The resale value is ruined!"

"Ugh… figures." Rainbow Dash groaned. "Can you save your panicked screams when there's a real emergency?"

"A fashion emergency is a real emergency darling. Besides…" She took a quick sniff at the scarf. "This little thing certainly belongs to our dastardly man. His cologne trace seems to end here… along with his footprints."

"Where is here exactly?" Sunset questioned when they looked around finding themselves out of the corridor and into some of open hall. Something that you wouldn't find in a castle. "What is this place?"

Twilight immediately deduced its function. "Judging by the large open space, the stage, podium and decorations. I would say that this is some kind of mustering hall – or an auditorium. And it looks like the path splits here." Two separate paths opened to them going even deeper into the fort. "It doesn't look like we'll make much progress like this. Should we split up?"

"It'll certainly be a lot faster." Sunset hesitated to agree but was countered by Rainbow's reasoning.

"No way! Remember what I said earlier? No matter what happens, we stick together! It's Dungeon Diving 101. The party of adventurers always have each other's back. The moment we start splitting up, we'll be picked off one by one. It's just basic math." Technically that's not math. "Look. I've seen enough movies to know how this goes. The moment the main party splits, the bad guy hits and if we're going on monster horror tropes, you should all know that the funny one always goes first."

The gang turned over to Pinkie who immediately deflated at the thought. "What? Me? Funny? Pfahh! That's rich. I'm not funny. If anyone's the funny one it's Fluttershy. Right?" She laughed awkwardly. "Right!?"

"But it'll take us hours to search this castle." Applejack complained. "I know I said that I was all about safety in numbers, but maybe we can set a limit to how far we can go."

"No way. No splitting. There's no way I'm falling for that trope. That's even worse than… than…" Rainbow paused when she suddenly noted something glowing close by. "Uh… Sunset. Is your bag meant to be glowing?" And to her truth, Sunset's backpack was indeed glowing. Strangely enough Twilight felt a strange sense of déjà vu growing in her chest. Somehow this feels very familiar.

Sunset reached to her bag, looking like she already knew what was making that light. She then pulled out the bracelet with the ominous black gem.

"The bracelet." The redhead muttered. "It's glowing again."

And then as if they were coordinated, the tracker in Twilight's hand began to let out a beeping noise. "Let me borrow that for a sec." She grabbed the bracelet, putting the two objects together as they reacted almost identically. "There's no mistaking it. There's definitely Yaztec magic somewhere in here. And it looks like it's coming from… here?" She pointed the two at the podium raising a confused brow. "Why here?"

"Careful Twilight." Rainbow Dash warned. "When something like this happens it usually means someone's about to activate a trap – or get eaten by giant swamp monsters. I can feel it in my gut."

"Oh give it a rest Rainbow Dash. This isn't like one of your comics or your movies. Real life doesn't follow everything that hap-peennnnnnnnsss!" The floor beneath her suddenly vanished, her voice trailing off as she fell in.

"TWILIGHT!" The gang immediately rushed over a little too late as the trapdoor sealed itself back in. They tried to pry it open but to little avail.

"It's not budging!"

"Stand back! I'm gonna break it open!" Applejack announced pulling up her sleeves. But before she could put her strength into it Sunset blocked her.

"No!"

"Why in tarnation not!? I can rip that thing in ten seconds flat!"

"Yeah and this whole castle with it! This whole area is built under a decrepit structure that's already on the verge of falling into the ocean! The only thing holding it together are dirt and rotting wood. One big collision and you'll bring this whole place down on top of us!" Yeesh. The thought of getting buried under a ton of rubble was more than enough to get Applejack and drop her arms.

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

"That pitfall trap must lead somewhere. Everyone split up! Search for a path going down! Pinkie, Fluttershy. You two with me. Rainbow Dash, take the others and go down the other path. We'll meet back here in 15 minutes." She didn't bother waiting for an answer as she bolted right off picking one of the two paths.

"Didn't you hear me earlier? Splitting up is a bad idea!" The rainbow haired gal groaned loudly. "Ugh. If anything bad happens, just remember I told you so! Come on girls."

They quickly funneled into the second path but not before Pinkie yelled out to the trapdoor.

"Hey Twilight! If you can hear me, we're coming for you! And if you can't… well… just the same."

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight fell and fell for god knows how long. She thought she came upon some sort of death trap but instead she found herself sliding upon smooth surfaces that took her from side to side and loop de loops. It felt like one of those really tall slides in waterparks except without the water to lubricate her fall. She was going so fast that she wondered if she broke the sound barrier.

"Oh no. I think I'm going to be sick!"

Her face turned an unhealthy green as the slide continued for over 30 seconds before it finally stopped upon some kind of shutter. Her body crashed upon it breaking the door and its mechanism like a bowling ball. Twilight braced herself for impact. But fortunately she landed on a pile of pillows that was conveniently placed there to cushion the blow. The only downfall was the stench they generated.

"Ughhh! Ewww… gross!" She belched her tongue out plugging her nose. It was like falling onto a pile of brother's dirty laundry all over again. Slowly she got back up, her legs wobbling weakly before she found her bearing. Once she got a sense of where was up and down, she turned over to the chute she came through groaning. "Ugh. You've got to be kidding me. I fell for a trap door? First that loop spell, now this? I seem to have a habit of falling for these traps. I can't believe I'm saying this: But maybe Rainbow Dash is onto something with her movie tropes. If I did I'd probably would've ended up avoiding these mechanical hazards."

After making a quick scan to make sure that she didn't fall into any deathtraps like spikes poking out of the ground or the walls closing in on you, she quickly pulled out her phone which thankfully survived the fall with the exception of a small crack on the screen.

"Ugh… just great. Now I have to spend my holiday allowance to fix up my phone." She dialed a number in and frowned deeper when call cut. "No signal? Guest I'm too deep underground for anything to reach this place."

And… where was this place anyway?

Judging from the speed, distance and time it took to travel down the slide, divided by the seconds on the loop de loops she would say that she was at least a hundred feet below where she dropped. Maybe two or three stories tops.

Who knew that a castle like this would have such an elaborate tunnel system? But the question is… why?

Basements for storage were always a good necessity for castles and fortresses but this was a bit of an overkill. What good was having such a complex area if so few people could access it to begin with?

And… now that she had a look, there was something else odd about this place. The hallway she was in looked different from the rest of the fortress. From the surface level down to the basement floor her friends came across, the walls were made of a mixture of bricks and quarry stones. Here, the place was made from carved marble which made it looked more regal and opulent.

In fact… this place looked far more ancient than the castle.

Following the only path given to her, Twilight tiptoed her way through, flashing her cellphone light ahead just to make sure she wasn't walking into another trap. She had enough of those, thank you very much.

But what came next caught her once more by complete surprise.

After just half a minute of walking, the nerd gal came upon a large open cavern that seemed to go beyond the cliff. Corals of all shapes and colors decorated the walls along with stalactites that formed a natural path around the area. Down below was a pier and docked next to it was what she could only describe to be a pirate ship.

A genuine, straight out of a movie set, pirate ship.

"I don't believe it. That's… actually Captain Hoofbeard's ship! This is incredible!"

The ship was enormous. It was a schooner. No. A galleon maybe. There were rows of cannons sticking out of its body, stacks of goodies of god knows what strewn around. Heck, it even had a Jolly Roger flag hoisted above the crow's nest.

Looking around, Twilight could see now why no one has found this place. When the castle collapsed, it caused a massive cave-in sealing the ocean entrance, trapping this ship inside.

Now Twilight might not be a fan of all that pirate adventure in movies and comics, but even she could appreciate something as magnificent as an ancient warship of the colonial era. Heck, if Rainbow Dash was here she'd have a smile so wide that it'd split her face in two. And she wouldn't blame her. How often do you find something so cool just sitting there? Untouched for god knows how long. No amount of magic or evil sorcery could ever compare to the genuine dashing debonair of the high seas.

This totally makes up for falling in the trapdoor.

But her excitement came to a crawl when her eyes noted something moving from the corner of her eye. A humanoid figured brushing pass the sands below. It definitely wasn't her friends and it definitely wasn't her imagination. Someone was here with her. And knowing the list of people who would be here, she would guess that it was Hoity Toity.

Her magic tracker began blinking once again. The signal was stronger and it was definitely coming from inside the ship. Whatever was emanating that strong magical presence was there.

Ok let's look at this logically. There's no way her friends can get to her in time, and there doesn't seem to be any way out of here other than the staircase on the other side of the cavern. She could go around the place and avoid conflict entirely. But that would mean Hoity would get his hands on whatever magical artifact is in there. Thus making him stronger and making their clash even more difficult than it needs to be.

Weighing these options, it seems like the only choice was clear.

She needed to beat him to the relic, get out of there and find her friends.

Shouldn't be too hard.

If she can escape a giant Cyclops golem by a hair's breadth, this should be a walk in the park.

Courage Twilight. Courage for your friends and mostly for yourself. You can do this.

Going into sneak mode, the girl huddled down and made her way to the ship. Again that monstrous thing looked enormous up close. And the mermaid ornament at the figurehead of the ship looked like it was made out of solid gold. A piece like that would net anyone a fortune. Heck she might even be able to pay her mom and dad a decade's worth of electricity bills if she can carry it out of here.

No. Stop it Twilight. You're geeking off again. Focus on the problem at hand not the problem ahead. Yes the ship is cool, yes the finder's fee would be great to have but none of that will matter if Hoity gets the artifact. Get your head out of the clouds.

She boarded the ship by the lowered planks following the figure. She caught a glimpse of him walking up to the captain's cabin. Typical. Where else would a treasure of great power be held on board a ship? He left the door open too. Either he was lax or overconfident.

No sign of any shadow monsters either. Not that she'd be able to see any.

Still, the signal on her tracker was getting stronger. The magical artifact was definitely in there. No time to lose. If this was a trap, it was going to be the last one she springs.

Crouching down, she snuck through the opened door and peaked in. The light from the outside did not reach in here making it hard to see. But she was more than certain that the man was in here.

It was a game of who was playing who at this point. A battle of wits and cunning. Only the one who attacks first would have the advantage. As they say: The first one to move in a game of chess normally wins. It will be…

"BWAH!" She fell head first on the floor with a loud yelp when her shoe caught a loose plank tripping her posture. "Ow… dang it." When she regained her focus, the first thing she saw was a shadowy figure holding a rusty sabre threateningly. "AHHHH!"

"GAHHH!" The figure screamed back and jerked back when Twilight activated her geode casting the full strength of her powers. She flailed her hands back and forth tossing everything she could latch on at the aggressor. Tables, chairs, old antique globes and everything that wasn't nailed to the ground were sent at him in a desperate defense. "Ow! Hey! Wait a second! Twilight! STOP!"

When the last object was thrown the girl finally took a breath only to gasp when she suddenly realized who it was she trapped. "Flash!?"

The boy waved his free hand awkwardly as he was trapped behind a small mound of furniture. "Hey there. I'd say it's nice to see ya but do you mind getting this off me?"

"How did you…" She raised her hand up only to pull a stop when she realized that it might just be a trick. "No that's not possible. How do I know you're the real Flash Sentry and not some illusion?"

"Uh… I'm not?" He shrugged. "Come on Twilight. You know me."

"Exactly. And I find it highly suspicious that you're here on a pirate ship no less. Sneaking around like thief."

"It's a pirate ship!" He reasoned. "What other reason would I need? It's every kids' dream to be on a pirate ship!" Ok she'll give him that. This place did look pretty cool and she couldn't resist coming aboard.

"Alright fine. But I'm more suspicious that I find you here when no one told you where we were going."

"Hey I didn't even know you were coming here. I swear. This is all just a strange coincidence. I was doing a favor for my dad when I heard that Hoity Toity was here."

"A likely story." She sharpened her eyes at him not taking the boy out of her sight for even a second. "Or more like you're an illusion trying to trick me!"

"I'm not an illusion!" He insisted. And honestly he did sound like Flash. "Look I'll prove it. I have a dog named Bananas!"

"Everyone knows that!"

"Oh right. Umm… I secretly come from a very rich family."

"Hoity Toity knows that too." She countered earning a grunt from his mouth.

"I know that there's a portal to another world in our school."

"Again. Everyone knows that too." It was actually kind of a well-kept secret actually. It was amazing no one ratted it out yet.

"Ok fine then. You ask me. Ask me anything. Something only the real me would know."

The thing only the real Flash Sentry would know. There were so many things she could ask. His mom, his past which she didn't know either. Or…

"I got it!" Her brain lit up like a light bulb. Slowly she turned to face him, flashing her cellphone at his face. "What did you do to Sunset's apartment?" He blinked a few times as if the question flew in and out.

"How did you know about…?"

"Answer the question!" She demanded, raising another chair threatening him with it. "What did you do to Sunset's apartment?"

The boy sighed in defeat, his free arm going limp. "I… bought it." His answer deflated her anxiety like a balloon. "I bought Sunset's apartment after it burned down." Satisfied with his reply, Twilight carefully removed the furniture off him, stacking them in another corner. "Thanks. But how'd you find out?"

"Rainbow Dash might've let it slip." Somehow he didn't seem all that surprise either. That girl never really could hold a secret. "But the bigger question right now is: What are you doing here? How'd you know where we were?"

"I didn't." He patted the dirt off him. "I wasn't lying when I said I didn't know you girls were even coming over here. I just heard that Hoity Toity was around so I thought that the most logical thing to do was to follow him. Find out what he was doing all the way here."

"The most logical thing to do in that scenario would be to CALL us." Twilight scolded him.

"Yeah. I wanted to do that. But cell reception isn't exactly the best around here." That's true. Even her phone didn't seem to be receiving any signal. If she did her friends would've been calling it a long time ago. "I'm guessing you're here for the same reason?"

"Pretty much." She confirmed it with a nod. "We discovered that Hoity was coming here to scout out a venue for his pageant show so we decided to track him here. It's one of the few times he's not surrounded by his followers or fans."

"That makes sense. Wouldn't want to make the headlines where you girls ambush a well-known celebrity. Speaking of which, where are the others?"

"We got separated." An event that she regretted. "I stumbled upon a trap door leading all the way here." She quickly raised a hand as he opened his mouth. "Don't ask." But her attention fell once more to her tracker. "It's here…"

"What's here?"

"A magic artifact. I've been tracking since we got here. We believe Hoity might be after it too. And it's really close. Mind holding the light for me?" The boy complied putting out his phone and flashing it in the direction her tracker was pointing. Thankfully they didn't have to look far and found that whatever was generating magic was coming from a solid sweet looking treasure chest. "There. It's coming from in there." She fibbed with the rusty lock with little luck. "Ugh… it's locked. Figures."

"Why don't you let me handle this?" Flash offered taking the lead on this. Quickly pulling out the sabre he held earlier and began jimmying the lock. It took some effort and a little bit of savagery. But with some brute strength, the lock snapped through its rusted parts, exposing its marvelous contents for all to see. "Wala. And now… to the victor goes the spoils!"

"I seriously doubt there's any treasure in there."

"Oh come on Twilight. Where's your sense of adventure? This is THE ship of the Legendary Pirate, Hoofbeard! I'd expect a trove full of gold coins, a stash of precious gems, the royal jewels from a long forgotten monarchy." He opened the chest only to have his expectations shot down. "… or a bunch of useless rocks."

"Oh those aren't just rocks." Twilight could pick out the object from within the pile like a magnet pulling a needle out of a haystack. "These are ancient Yaztec stone carvings. Your father's collection had a few of them just like these. How do you not know this?"

He shrugged. "Hey, once you've seen a few of these things lying around in your house, you won't be able to tell one from the other." But then his eyes glanced upward noting a painting smiling down on him. "Whoa… check it out. Is that who I think it is?"

Twilight looked up and was also enthralled by the painting of a man. He had every hallmarks of a stereotypical pirate. A gold tooth, a wooden leg, eye patch, a long well groomed beard that have been woven in two knots and more than enough accessories to signify all his achievements. "That's Captain Hoofbeard. The last of the most notorious pirates ever to grace the ocean before he disappeared hundreds of years ago. This must be one of the last depictions of him."

Flash rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Yeah. I also think it'll look great in my game room. But that's not what I was talking about. I'm actually more interested in that thing he's wearing." He shined his light closer to the portrait gesturing the obvious. "See anything familiar?"

She squinted at the mark and gasped when the object became obvious. Right on the pirate's wrist was the same unmistakable bracelet that they've come to recognize. The black gem in particular alarmed her the most.

"That's… the same gemstone as Cinch and Hoity used!"

"Bingo." Flash clicked his tongue in agreement.

"But that would mean that the secret society is over hundreds of years old. No. Even before that. Hoofbeard was born during the pre-colonial era. It could be even older." Her eyes snapped open. "We need to tell Sunset and the others. This is a major breakthrough!" But she stopped halfway when her tracker activated again pointing into the pile of rocks. "The artifact. I think I found it." She reached in and grab the most intact looking statuette gasping when she pulled it out.

"Hey… isn't that the same one that Sunset had. The thing Hoity was after?"

"The Portal Stone." Twilight confirmed it tracing her finger at the goddess figurine. It resembled the one they found in the caves near Everfree Woods but with a few noteworthy difference. Either way, it had the same function and it radiated with enough magic to power all their geodes. "This confirms it. The black gem and this artifact? Captain Hoofbeard was definitely a member of the secret society. He must've been stealing magical relics from various locations throughout his pirating days."

Flash whistled in admiration. "Wow. Talk about going after your above-average pirate. I was satisfied with gold and jewels. But this guy really takes treasure hunting to a whole new level."

"Flash! This is serious!" She scolded. "Think about it. If Hoofbeard was on a mission to steal and hoard artifacts in his pirating days, imagine what other treasures lay within? Any of them could contain magic. Dangerous magic. The kind of magic we don't understand yet!" Her voice traced off dangerously as she stuffed the statue in her bag. "Who knows what other relics Hoofbeard stored here."

"Well if I was a pirate, I'd probably keep my most important stuff somewhere only I'd know – or a place only I can get to, like my locker in school or Banana's secret crib."

"Or a treasure vault."

"That too." He nodded. "But I've already searched this ship from top to bottom and I didn't see anything that looked like treasure."

"Hoofbeard would've kept it somewhere in the castle." Twilight sounded so certain. "I'm sure of it. Come on. If we leave now we'll probably find more along the way."

"What about your friends?"

"They'll be fine." She reassured him. "They're way smarter than you give them credit."

xxxxxxxxxx

"I knew this was a stupid idea!" Rainbow Dash cursed out loud as she and her group high-tailed it through the corridor being chased by a swarm of snakes.

"Of course it is! You came up with it!" Applejack retorted not slowing her pace. "I knew we shouldn't have opened all those rooms all at once!"

"Hey! You're the one who wanted to be quick and efficient."

"But also playing smart! Figured you'd lead us in trouble on the first leg of the search. This is the last time I'm letting you take the lead."

"Well if you think you can do a better job, then try it!"

"Girls!" Rarity shouted, keeping up with the two as pythons literally began snapping at their heels. And… did those snakes look a little off? "I don't wish to be the pushy one here, but can you please stop arguing and get to more running!? Eeeeeekk!" With the power of fear controlling her, the fashionista boosted pass them, holding onto her hat like it was a part of her life.

"Where's Fluttershy when you need her!?"

xxxxxxxxxx

"Eeeeeep!" Pinkie Pie screamed to the top of her lungs and she ran down the hall, her face paler than concrete. A rolling boulder chased after them, flattening everything within its path. Apparently they stepped on a raised platform earlier which triggered one of the few remaining traps that were left. "I knew it! I knew this is how it was going to end for me! To be flattened like a pancake and gobbled up by a monster! Oh the irony!"

"Pinkie!" Sunset pushed her to go faster. "Quit yabbering!"

"Tell my story of my fare friends. For we are to be… the flattest of ca-"

"We're not gonna get flattened! Now move it!" She snapped her head to the back shouting. "Fluttershy! Keep running!"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING!?"

"Ugh… where's Applejack when you need her?"

xxxxxxxxxx

"So… you girls were really planning to ambush Hoity Toity, right here?" Flash questioned as the silence filled the void in their travels. They exited the docks and went back through the path Flash had come through finding another winding corridor that seemed to stretch further than anyone could imagine. "How was that supposed to work?"

Twilight shrugged back not really bothered by the question. "Well our original plan was to catch him at the resort, not the castle. We figured that we'd catch him alone somewhere and question him and this place seemed perfect."

"Just like what you guys did with Cinch."

"Yeah… and you know how that ended." How can he forget? He still has the scar to remember it by. "Speaking of Cinch. That reminds me. Sunset is not gonna be happy to know you're here."

Yeah he knew that. "I figured as much seeing as she didn't tell me you guys were coming here. And let me guess." He let out a tiresome sigh. "She said that she was trying to protect me from all of the danger?"

"Pretty much." Twilight shrugged. "Though I think she's trying to be polite by not telling you."

"More like she doesn't want me in her adventures."

"Don't think of it like that Flash. You know she's doing this because she doesn't want you to get hurt. You have to look at it through her perspective."

"Well that kind of thing works both ways." He countered. "She doesn't want to see me get hurt and I don't want to see her get hurt either. You think it's fun for me to just sit back and do nothing? Last year you girls saved an entire cruise ship from ending up on a deserted island. And the year before that you saved everyone in Camp Everfree from Gloriosa's magic. Not to mention what happened at the friendship games."

"Sunset just wants to protect this world."

"But this is my world too. Don't I get to protect it?"

"Flash…"

"Look. I'm not saying that I should start throwing lightning out of my fingers. I know my limits. But would it kill her to simply rely on others?"

"Is that why you didn't tell her about the apartment?"

He sighed for what felt like the fifth or sixth time in the last hour. "Pretty much. I figured if she knew, she'll feel indebted to me. I just want to help. Is that so wrong?"

No. No it was not. But Twilight couldn't bring herself to say that. She understood his side of the story but also Sunset. The only reason why they were out there bumping heads with evil magic in the first place was because of their own powers. If things had gone differently, they might actually live ordinary lives instead of all this mayhem. They'd have ordinary teenager problems like school, prom, tests, and boys…

"What about you?" Flash continued, directing another question her way.

"Wh-what about me?"

"What do you think about me? Do you think I shouldn't be helping out too?"

"I…" Her answer froze up in her mouth when a familiar sensation came over her skin. "Wait… did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" He directed his light ahead feeling a chilly breeze pass over. He squinted trying to get a better look but his phone suddenly began to flicker. "Oh come on. What's with this thing?"

"There's Yaztec magic coming from in here. And it's really strong." She pointed in the general direction of her tracker only to come face to face with a wall.

"Uh… sorry to burst your bubble, but this is kind of a dead end."

"But that can't be." She tapped the side of her tracking device implementing the oldest trick in the book in mechanics: Smack it till it works. "A power that immense must be close by." Her eyes snapped open in realization. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Flash asked as she pulled out the bracelet with the black gem from her pocket. "Is that…?"

"Hold my hand." The girl ordered to which he reluctantly complied, her tender fingers wrapped in his as the gem in her other hand hummed. "Ok. Oh! And just a heads up. You might feel a little… weird or nauseous."

"Why would I feel nauoo—ooohh~!" And before he could even get a reply, the corridor around them twisted in swish and swirls. The closest word for a description would be that of a quick tour around Pinkie Pie's brain.

Flash held his stomach, feeling like he had just gone through a 50 foot drop and then taken to the blender for a 2 hour spin before finally being given the sweet relief of death.

"Oh… so that's what you mean." His face turn a shade of green before curling to the ground.

But Twilight on the other hand had a look of euphoria. "I knew it! This is it!" The room around her had changed from that of a single hallway to that of a gigantic hall with no doors or windows. Murals of ancient times decorated the wall, statues of animals and forgotten gods and paragons protrude from out of the grounds acting as both decorative models and support pillars, while gorgeous tapestries dangled from the ceiling. A few torches came to life as if answering the call of the visitors. And there standing at the center of the room was a large squared window reminiscent of the one she saw in the caves. "My hypothesis was correct! Take a look Flash."

He held one finger up. "Yeah. One moment. Ugh. Just gonna… breathe some good old fashion air. Hurkk!"

Hmph. Transdimentional traveling amateur.

"This is amazing." Twilight continued her awe as she scanned the room. "The whole castle seems to have been built on top of an ancient Yaztec ruin! The colonials couldn't possibly have known that this thing was under them this whole time!"

"If they didn't, then you think Hoofbeard knew?"

"Absolutely. That's because he had this." She dangled the bracelet with a wide-eyed nerd grin. "I didn't understand it at first when I stumbled upon the portal room in the caves. But this second attempt here proves it. This black gem isn't just some kind of medium for magic. It's a key. Just like our geode and the barrier Sunset put up back at the house. There's some kind of defense system here that keeps people from finding this room. An illusion maybe. The mechanism and techno-sorcery skill needed to make this place function must be astoundingly complex!"

"O… k? So how does it work?"

She was thankful that he asked. "Well… I had some theories. The last time I activated one of these things, there were a few key factors. Firstly…" She pulled out the Portal stone from her bag and placed it on the podium letting it face the gateway. Unsurprisingly it fits on it like a glove. "First we need the primary multi-formulative-transdimentional-portal key set on the exact angle. Then we throw in this black gemstone." Putting the bracelet on her hand, she gently reached out to the object raising her hand just right above its head. "And then…"

…

Nothing.

Flash blinked. "Uh… and step three would be?"

Twilight tilted her head confused. "There is no step three. The portal was supposed to open. I don't understand." She flicked the gemstone. "Is it broken?"

"Don't these things usually have a magical incantation or something? Like a code phrase or reverse words. The movies usually depict these things."

Oh great, another movie enthusiast. As if Rainbow Dash wasn't enough already. But sadly Twilight couldn't come up with a counter. "Eh. It can't hurt to try. Umm… err… hocus pocus?"

…

Twilight could feel the boy's judgmental stare burning at the back of her head. "Really? That's your magic word?"

"Hey I'm a scientist, not a movie geek. You help me think of one."

Flash rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand suddenly feeling a strange pull from his wound. He looked but thought of it as nothing more but a trick of the wind. "Well… how about open sesame?" Nope. "Abracadabra!" Still nothing. "I command you to open! Open says me! Opera is secretly a rock music!"

"That's not even a thing!"

"1-2-3-4-5-6! Arrrrrg! Open this here portal or ye shall be walkin the plank!"

Her expression twisted in confusion. "Are you… trying a pirate expression?"

"Hey if Hoofbeard managed to get this thing open with a pirate accent, it can't hurt to try." He turned to the portal. "Arrrrg! Give me my booty or you'll be swimming with the sharks argggg!"

"Ok stop. Now you're just being ridiculous."

Ridiculously funny is what he thought. "Oh come on. I still got plenty left in me."

"Not while we're in a crucial moment. Try to take this seriously."

He shrugged. "Well the only one we haven't tried is 'Please'"

"Please? Really? That's the best you got? You're lucky you don't have magic." And as if to answer than challenge, the gemstone suddenly activated along with the statue. A torrent of wind blew from the gateway itself blowing a gale that smells reminiscent of the ocean. "WHOOOAAA!"

"Twilight!" The boy grabbed her, his shoes being dragged through the smooth marbled floor as they were pulled closer to the gate. "Take that thing off!"

"No don't!" She countered. "This is the same thing that happened in the other portal. This is supposed to happen."

The vibration grew longer and louder and the pull became even stronger. But by the end of it all, the result was worth the trouble. The gateway blew open and the statue's eyes lit up like a beacon sending a powerful beam that tore a fabric through time and space. For a moment they thought that the whole thing was going to bring this whole place down but thankfully the support pillars held.

Twilight got back up and turned to the portal expecting to see another scenery. But instead she found the thing looking like a TV with a terrible reception.

The swirling gateway flickered constantly like someone rapidly changing channels on a television. First it was just a couple of sceneries, but then it went from caves, to an underwater location, then a jungle.

"Is this thing broken?" Flash looked to her for answers which her facial expression said all.

"I don't know. It wasn't like this back in the cave." She tapped the bracelet once more trying to fix the problem. "Maybe we did something wrong. Quick. Try using more magic words."

"Uh…"

"Come on! If this keeps up we might end up with a magical meltdown!"

"Oh! Umm… Yabadaba doo? Fabbergash! Uh… wingardium levenza! Jack and Jill!"

"That's not a magic word!"

"Well I'm sorry! I'm not exactly good under pressure!" Sparks began to fly as the portal suddenly vibrated, its tear slowly building up something dangerous. "Should we be running?"

"No! We need to stop this thing. We need to stabilize it."

"And how do we do that?"

She looked around unsure. "I… don't know. Maybe we can adjust the magical mechanism in the bracelet."

The boy darted to his surroundings for a moment before turning to the statue. "What if we remove th—?" But his fingers barely even touched it when the statue sent out a shockwave so powerful that it sent him flying backward smashing towards the wall and then falling to a pile of jars that thankfully broke his fall. "Ow…"

"Flash! Hang on. I'm coming!" Twilight tried to reach him but the pull on the bracelet only got stronger dragging her dangerously closer to the portal. Sparks of magic danced around the room. It reminded her somewhat of what happened during the Friendship Games. Raw magic that goes uncontrolled can be devastating. And portal magic in particular were even more dangerous. "Ugh… come on you stupid thing! Stop glitching out RIGHT NOW!" She grabbed onto her geode and sent her magic through. It was a crude method but it was the only thing she had on hand.

It was pretty much a roll of the dice at this point and for once she actually won. The merging of two magic somehow right two wrongs. The portal now stabilized, its image now returning to a calm swirling vortex.

"Wow. I can't believe that actually worked." She said in amazement of her own luck. "I guess Rainbow Dash was right. Sometimes you really gotta go with your gut."

_"Yes. Quite remarkable."_

Twilight froze when a familiar voice crept behind her. She spun around noticing that the bracelet has released her from its grip only to come a full stop when a droplets of black goo fell from the ceiling creating a puddle of darkness on the surface. And soon that puddle rose up forming into the shape of a man, the dark jelly becoming solid before it flashed a sadistic grin.

"Very remarkable indeed."

"You!?"

"Hoity?" Flash gasped, watching him flick his fingers calling forth a creature from his shadow. The boy barely had a chance to yell when it smothered him with its body dragging him downward into the marbled surface. "H... hey! Let go of me!"

"Flash!"

"Twilight!" She tried to reach him but he was soon dragged to the floor sinking along with the monster. It vanished a second later leaving no trace of its existence.

"No... no no no no... NO!" Twilight traced the ground trying to find some trace of him, but to no avail. Anger rose to her face as she turned over to the man responsible. "Give him back!" She ponied up, raising her hand threateningly.

But oddly enough Hoity responded with a simple gesture of peace. "Now now. Let's not be too hasty. We both know it was better for him to be out of the picture."

"If you hurt a hair on him..."

"Please, Ms. Sparkle. I assure you. Harming that boy will be the last thing I do on this world. I detest violence." There wasn't any lie in that sentence - at least not that she could tell. He flicked his shades upward and cast a polite smile on her. "Now that we have some alone time. Let's talk."


	36. Magic VS Magic

**Chapter 36: Magic VS Magic**

Twilight wasn't really sure how anger worked. In fact, she can't really remember the last time she was ever angry. But the burning rage coming from the pit of her stomach was probably the closest thing she can imagine. Her nostrils flared and her breathing became sharp and huffy. Her muscles tensed up, itching to throw a haymaker. Every fiber of her body wanted to burst out and throw the heaviest thing she could get her magic hands on.

"Give my friend back, right **now**!" She ponied up, her fingers glowing with magic threatening to lash out the moment he made one wrong move.

"Now now, my dear. Let's not resolve this with violence. We are far better than that. Surely someone of your pedigree can afford to be civil."

Oh I'll show you civil.

"I'm not saying another word to you until you return Flash to me!"

"Please Ms. Sparkle. Calm down. I assure you, that boy is safe where he is. Far safer than here." He raised his hand up dangling his bracelet. "But that might change if you continue with your aggression." That threat was enough to curb her anger, or at least lowered it to manageable levels. "Very good…" He smiled. "I take it that I need no introductions?"

Her teeth seethed. "What do you want from me? And… how do you know my name?"

"I know all of your associates, Ms. Sparkle. You and your friends and your plans to ambush me in this castle. I've known all of your movements since my pageant show the other night. But I did not know of this place until you uncovered it for me." There was a hint of admiration hidden in his voice. Almost like he was congratulating her. "Marvelous, isn't it? An ancient Yaztec portal, hidden under our very noses. It took us almost 2 years to find one and figure out its mechanism. Yet here you are, doing all that in the span of 2 minutes. That has to be a record. How did you do it?"

"What makes you think I'd tell you?" She seethed venomously.

"Come now. As a fellow enthusiast of all things occult, surely you can understand my curiosity. Besides, I detest violence."

"Not exactly convincing."

"I do engage in such things unless it's absolutely necessary. If I did, I wouldn't have appeared before you now."

"Try telling that to Sunset."

He opened his mouth to counter but found himself cornered in that argument. "Hmm… yes. I must admit that things did get a bit… out of hand in that skirmish."

"You burned down her apartment!"

"I offer no excuses for that. We were not there to harm her. We were only interested in the Travel Stone she possessed." Travel Stone? Was that what they call the Portal Stone? "Please extend my apologies to your friend. And let her know that I am willing to pay for all the damages done by my… accomplices." His eyes cast upon his minion who shuddered back, eyes drooping downward. "It's hard to find good help these days."

"So you really are after the stone. Why?"

His brow cocked upward. "Why… to study it of course. Just like you, I assume. It takes a great amount of magical energy to power these things. Creating a ripple through time and space can be quite demanding."

It does? Strange. She hardly needed any effort to activate them. "Wait. If you already have one of these, then why do you need another one? Can't you just study yours?"

A chuckle escaped him. "If only it were that easy, my dear Twilight. These relics are not only powerful but they're also containers for a great amount of magic. And seeing this one activate a portal, means it possess large quantities of raw energy. And we need a lot of them."

"To use the Chalice of Wishes." She deduced, which sparked a reaction from him.

"You know about the Chalice as well?"

"I know that you're organization are hoarding a lot of magical artifacts and built that extra wing in the Museum of Natural History. Something to do with the Winter Solstice."

For a brief moment his mask dropped, or more literally his shades. They tilted down revealing a corner of his strangely swirling pupils as if caught unaware. "That is… surprisingly accurate. I'm starting to see how you were able to defeat Cinch. Clearly she underestimated you."

"What are your plans? Who are you? What's your organization up to? What do you need the Chalice for?"

Hoity quickly raised one hand to stop her. "Too many questions, and I am not in liberty to speak of any of them. My Master would be furious with my loose lips." He then casually looked over his watch nodding. "Such a shame we have little time. I wanted to spend these hours trapping you and your friends here but with this new discovery, my schedule has changed drastically. I'll just be taking this thing and be on my merry wa-" He reached for the portal stone, only to have it suddenly ripped from its pedestal and pulled away towards Twilight. The portal that it held open soon closed not long after leaving only a few torches to light the area.

"Not happening."

His eyes sharpened like daggers. Hoity didn't like being played the fool. "I will have that stone, if you please."

The nerd gal tucked the object into her satchel and readied herself for battle. "You want it? Come and take it."

The fashion star laughed at her attempt of bravery. "You obviously have no clue what position you are in, girl. You know my strength and the strength of my minions." Two lamias rose to his side, their claws extended.

"What happened to not liking violence?"

"Oh I detest it. But I will still use it to get what I want. Especially from children who don't know better."

"Then it looks like you're gonna have to try."

"Your friends cannot reach you here. You're outgunned and outnumbered."

"I don't think so." With one swift motion she reached back into her satchel producing a thin crown before placing it on her head. Putting her magic into the object, the jewel on the accessory shined and out came four replicas of her, standing in formation.

To say the least, Hoity was definitely surprised. His foot unconsciously made him step back, out of fear. "How in the…?"

"Now. I'm gonna ask you one **last** time." She and her copies stepped forward, hands brimming with power. "Give **Flash** back!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Well… this was something you don't experience every day. Flash certainly thought so.

First you discover a long lost pirate ship hidden inside a cave, find out that said pirate might be a wizard from the colonial days, get teleported to a room, somehow activated said portal and then get smothered by a shadow monster which then teleported him to another room entirely.

Despite its setbacks, this day was going surprisingly well.

The shadow creature dropped him over to what looked like a store room like a sack of meat tossing him aside before vanishing back into the darkness. It was a strange sensation to move like that. Like his body was being ripped and assembled all at once. Totally different from the first time but the result was the same. His stomach churned and his head felt wobbly. Was this the same as being air-sick? Either way, it was official. Teleporting sucked.

Brushing away his sickness and swallowing his vomit, the boy got up trying to make sense of his surroundings. Wherever that creature dropped him, it was certainly in another place under the castle. A closet maybe. The walls were close enough that he could reach one side from the other. There was door too but it was heavy and wouldn't budge an inch.

"Hey!" He banged it a few times shouting. "Anybody out there!?" The silence was all that answered back. That and maybe a few insects that lingered in the area. The shadow monster that brought him here didn't seem to be around either.

Ok Flash. Stay calm. You've been in tough situations before. If you can survive a sinking cruise ship, you can get out of a small cabinet. No need to panic. Panic saves no one. You need to think hard and fast. Twilight is facing that man and his minions alone so she's counting on you.

What do we have to work with? A cell phone with 76% battery, his wallet with some loose change and driving license, his jacket, shoes? Great! Maybe he can play a game of Cake Crush while waiting for help.

Dang it! How was he supposed to help out if he's trapped in this closet? Its times like these he wished he had magic or some kind of power that could blast his way through this obstacle. He was supposed to be a support, not a burden.

And right now he refused to be some kind of hostage for Hoity to use against his friends. So like many others, he decided to go with his gut and brute force his way out. Bracing himself on the wall he lifted his feet and let out a mighty kick. The impact had a positive effect as he heard some of the pieces come loose. He mustered his strength again and struck ignoring the pain emanating from his hand. Three more times followed and it repeated over and over, until finally the door hinges gave in.

He dropped on the ground with a heavy thud.

"If you wanna put Flash Sentry inside a boy. You'd better make sure he doesn't come back out!" He shouted strongly at the closet, trying to act like one of those heroes on the big screen. "Now… where do I go from here?"

"HELP!" He got his answer in the form of a cry for help coming from the corridor. The voice sounded familiar. "Help~~~~!" He quietly took a peek and saw three figures running for their dear lives from a pack of snakes that were hot on their trail.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hoity grunted loudly when he felt a rock brush against his beautiful one-of-a-kind designer T-shirt. The sharp edges grazed him but it was enough to tear through his precious fabric ruining his perfect image.

He wasn't expecting this kind of resistance from this girl. From what he gathered, she looked more like a sheltered nerd than a magician. But he was soon proven wrong when she began to dish out magic like she had plenty to spare.

Her copies ran amok, going on all sides confusing him while dishing out the same power she did. They used some form of telekinesis to throw objects at him, and a few basic light spells that kept his minions at bay. It was enough to turn this supposed one-sided-slaughter into an all-out magical brawl.

Perhaps he judge them wrong. He thought that Sunset was the most powerful out of all of them but he was certainly dead wrong about that. Her powers combined with the rage she was feeling inside numbed her pain and fueled her energy three-folds. If his lamias weren't so translucent, they probably would've been flattened by her powers long ago. Each time her copies gets shredded, ripped or torn apart she would simply summon another one from that crown and replenish her numbers back to full strength. And here he thought he had the advantage in numbers.

And the fact that she was able to land even a grazing hit on him was an achievement on its own.

Still… the matter was clear. She had the Travel Stone. And he was getting it. One way or another.

"Kaaz! Enough playing around! Be done with her already!" His lamias obeyed and quickly began wiping another two of Twilight's copies, closing in on the original. But the girl blasted them back with another light spell along with the two other copies which sent them reeling back. Normally such a flimsy attack wouldn't even make his monster flinch but this girl…

She was powerful. Far more powerful than Sunset could ever be. It was like she had a pool of unlimited magic hidden inside of her. And she had little to no disregard on how to use it.

"**Give** my friend back!" She dislodged a marble stone from the wall and threw it at him, which missed, crashing the ground by a few feet. That girl might be powerful but she had little control over her powers. And that… seemed to make her even more dangerous.

Perhaps he shouldn't have taken her boyfriend from right under her nose.

"RAHH!" His minion lunged forward with her claws swiping another clone to dust. But that proved futile as another replaced her almost immediately and blasted her with a beam of light. Its skin boiled and bubbled forcing it to retreat.

That same scenario repeated itself in different order again and again. It was like having déjà vu put on repeat but worse. It was enough to drive a man mad.

"If you want something done…" He groaned before finally joining the fight. With a swift motion he raised his hand up dangling the black gem and called for unnatural powers to his aid. A beam of energy blasted from his hand blowing a segment of the room to pieces taking down Twilight's clones in an instant. "I will have that stone!"

"You want it?" She taunted. "Come and get it."

He answered that challenge.

xxxxxxxxxx

Sunset panted heavily as she tried to catch her breath in the corridor. She wasn't sure how much more they could take. This place was supposed to be clear of traps a long time ago but it seems like whoever made that statement must've missed a few of them. First it was that giant rolling boulder of death, which Pinkie triggered because of another of her shenanigans. Then they stepped on a raised plate which activated a bunch of dart blowers on the wall. Luckily whatever toxin was in them had already expired. Otherwise they'd be seeing spots. The next trap they sprung was the water pit which dropped them in a pit of… well… water. There was probably supposed to be a secondary function to that trap but it must've been busted.

But the worst of them all was definitely the locked room with the walls closing in on them. It was scary enough to see those on the big screen, they didn't need to experience it in real life. Thankfully Pinkie had a few explosive pastries hidden in her hair which they used to blast themselves out of there.

Now they were here, out of breath and having absolutely no idea where they were.

She didn't like saying that Rainbow Dash had a point with her movies, but whoever designed this castle certainly took a page out of her adventure books. The only thing missing now was a shark pit.

"Ok… let's set some… new ground rules. Ow." She said through pants of breath while removing some darts from her arm, the needles felt like wasp stings but less dangerous. "No more running ahead, no more pressing random buttons, no more hopping for fun, no more 'Oooh what does this button do?' gimmick, and certainly no more random guessing which way to go next. We are doing this properly and carefully. Got it?"

"Wooyay~~~" Pinkie agreed – or at least she think she agrees. It was hard to tell. The poor girl had arrows sticking out of her puffy hair which were thankfully blunted by the pastries she had hidden inside.

"Got it…" Fluttershy said weakly. The girl must've been pretty tuckered out from all that running… and screaming… and shouting. But mostly the screaming bit. She had a few burnt marks on the edges of her clothes, which would undoubtedly bring Rarity to tears.

"Right." Wiping the sweat off her brow, Sunset decided to move first. "Let's take this step by step. I'll go first. Follow exactly where I walk. The last thing we need is stepping on another…" Her hand pressed against the wall tile which slipped in sounding an audible click. "… trap." A shutter opened right above her dumping a bucket load of sludge on her. She cringed heavily, noting the strange particular smell. "Please. Please tell me this is just mud."

Pinkie took a quick whiff and immediately backed away from her, pinching her nose and resisting the urge to hurl. "Ewww… gross." Even Fluttershy agreed, backing away from the strong odor.

"Arghhh! Whyyyyyyy!? Of all the traps, it had to be a stink trap! I'll take a shark tank or a hundred other traps than this!" Wish it and you shall receive it. As her tantrum unavoidably sprung another raised tile activating another shutter door blowing even more darts at them. "I WASN'T SERIOUS!"

"Run!" And run they did, dodging another array of anti-intruder defenses. "When we get out of this, I am never gonna make fun of Rainbow Dash's movies ever again!"

"Me too!" Fluttershy agreed only to pause when she noted her friend falling behind. "Sunset! Hurry!"

"I'm trying! But this sludge is sticky and… ugh… smelly too." The girl struggled with her steps trying to pull her leg out of the slimy thing. "Help! Ow!" A dart struck her back. "Oh come on! I just removed those!" A few dozen more flung her way. "Oh this is gonna hurt." She quickly shielded herself expecting to be stung repeatedly. But oddly enough it never came. Sunset took a slow peek wondering if she was dead only to find a familiar diamond barrier shielding her from harm.

"Sorry for being tardy. But you know how I love being fashionably late."

"Rarity!" Sunset has never been so glad to see her. But before she could grab her in a full blown hug, the fashionista blocked her with another shield. "Ow…"

"Oh no no. No touching! These clothes are vintage darling. A stain on this would be an epic disaster." Strangely enough Sunset understood that and accepted it.

"Good thing we came along when we did." Applejack appeared behind her grabbing the muddy girl and pulling her off the sludge. "You guys look like you were running to all sorts of trouble."

"You don't know the half of it!" Pinkie whined from behind the rubble. "We went through all sorts of traps. Arrow traps, pit fall traps, sludge traps, boulder traps, and walls crushing you trap!"

Rainbow Dash gawked. "You went through all that!? Aw… no fair! The only trap we sprung was a snake nest." She folded her arms together grumbling. "Some folks have all the fun."

Sunset groaned into her hand urking away when she remembered the smell. "I wouldn't call what we experienced to be 'fun'. This place has more traps than your average dungeon. Maybe splitting up wasn't a good idea after all.

"Oh now you admit it."

"How'd you find us anyway?"

"Hard not to with all that screaming." The cowgirl chuckled, thumbing Fluttershy.

"I don't suppose you found Twilight."

"Nope. But someone else found us instead." She pointed to the back of the group where a blue haired boy appeared waving awkwardly like a kid who was caught in a restricted zone.

"Flash!? Wh… what are you… how did you…?" Her brain sizzled. He was the last person she wanted to see here. "How are you here?"

"Long story. I'll tell you later." He brushed passed her list of questions. "Right now you need to know that Twilight is in trouble. She's facing Hoity Toity alone with his shadow monsters."

Alarm bells rang over her head. "Twilight and Hoity!? Where!?"

"That's… kind of the problem. It's kinda complicated."

"Then simplify it!"

"Well to be honest I have absolutely no idea. Apparently the room she was in can only be accessed with magic of some kind with the black gemstone. It was supposed to be the key or something. She was pretty technical about the whole process. And honestly I didn't exactly understand half of what she was saying."

Sunset remembered Twilight saying something about that. Ever since she was teleported to that portal room in the Everfree caves, she had been pulling out hypotheses and theories out of her head like crazy. Though of course there was no way to prove any of them without testing it. However it wasn't a tried and tested method. Even in Equestria, there have been ways for powerful unicorns and magical creatures to hide something away by tossing it into a place only they can access. Kind of like having a pocket dimension in your… pocket or a private storage that follows you around wherever you go. Pretty handy.

"So how are we going to find her?" Fluttershy questioned which prompted everyone to turn their resident magic expert.

Sunset groaned. It was hard being one of two magic pros around here. "Alright alright. Give me a second." She stated loudly going into deep thought but not before pointing a finger at her ex. "I'm still angry at you for being here. And we are going to talk about this later. But first…" She didn't want to say it but it was the truth. If Twilight was trapped in a separate area that can only be accessed with the black gem and the only one they had was with the girl in question. She can also imagine that Hoity has one with him too.

"But that place has to be somewhere around here, right?" Applejack gave a good point. It was a room with a powerful portal. You can't just store something like that in your pocket dimension. It had to be somewhere physically here. "Why don't we just pound the area until we find her?"

"Because that kind of damage will bring this whole place down."

"What about our geode?" Pinkie threw her two bits in. "Twilight says that all our geodes are connected and all. So maybe we can look for her that way?"

Plausible but studying these geodes have been hitting them with questions than answers. There was no time to research.

"Well whatever we're gonna do, we have to do it fast. Twilight isn't gonna last long against without us." Flash spoke, urging them to come up with a solution.

But there was none. Without a proper key, entering a room in another area would require a tremendous amount of magic. And luckily for her, she had just the thing to give her that edge.

"I got an idea." Sunset said finally earning the gang's attention as she pulled out that strange black and red amulet from her pocket. "It's a bit of a long shot but it might just work."

xxxxxxxxxx

"You know you can't keep this up forever." Hoity spoke as he advanced slowly, blasting another of Twilight's clones to smithereens. "The five of you could barely face Cinch in an open battle. You alone against me is a death sentence. Make it easy on yourself and give me the stone."

Oh she wasn't fighting him.

As a matter of fact she stopped fighting him for about ten minutes now and allowed her clones to handle all the dirty work. Twilight had been hiding in a pile of rubble conserving her energy. However, she could feel her magic slipping from her fingers. This man was clearly nothing like Cinch and she thought of her to be a powerful magician. He on the other hand was on a whole new level and she wasn't just talking about his shadow monsters either. Even with the power of the Crown of the Four Fools and her geode, the fashionista/mage seemed to be adept in a multitude of spells and sorcery. He can cast shields stronger than Rarity, teleport from one place to another with his shadows and blast one of her copies with a single shot. Who knows what else this creep was capable of?

The only reason why she was able to last this long was because he couldn't tell which of them was the real one. For a moment there she actually thought she could match him. Heck at one point she even thought she could win. But he adrenaline from earlier combined with her sudden anger were beginning to wane. Her movements were becoming sloppy and her spells didn't show that much radiance. Now she could barely maintain her own copies. So it was only a matter of time before he finds her.

If she had the option right now she'd probably bolt out of there. But sadly the black gem bracelet wasn't exactly being helpful. The darn thing looked like it had a mind of its own and often teased her back and forth between working and not working.

"That's quite a lovely toy you have there too." He continued his gloating while his minions fought. "A crown that makes copies of yourself. How did you come across such a thing? Do you have some secret store where you can buy these trinkets at a discount price?" Her clones braced themselves, throwing a murderous intent to throw him off. "No matter. I'll take it off you just as I'll take the Travel Stone."

No. She can't run. If she ran now, something bad could happen to Flash. And she wasn't leaving without him.

Sending her plan to her clones they nodded at one another and immediately began their preparations.

"Hey Hoity!" She shouted at him nabbing his attention for a few seconds. "You want the stone? Well here it is." The original Twilight charged head in pulling out sections of the walls and throwing them at him. It would've been an impressive feat if he didn't blast it away so easily with his laser magic. They traded blows against one another wrecking the whole room and destroying dozens of priceless historical artifacts. Normally Twilight would be appalled for such unwanted destruction but considering her opponent she was sure archeologists everywhere would forgive her.

"You are trying my patience, little girl."

"Sounds more like you don't have what it takes to win, old timer." Did she say that right? Twilight wasn't sure. She had been taking smack-talk lessons from Rainbow Dash and she says that talking trash to your enemies was a good way to annoy them, make them sloppy. "What's the matter? Losing your touch?"

"Grrrr!" He shot her a laser blast which she dodged.

"Ha! That the best you got? My mom's a better shot than you!" Ouch. Even Twilight could feel the sting on that. "Maybe you should lose the shades! Who wears shades indoors anyway?"

"It is a fashion choice!"

"More like a fashion disaster!" She countered. "Oh and by the way. I think I find Fancy Pant's design to be way better than yours!"

Hoity's shades cracked under the sheer pressure of his anger. That was the last straw. "ENOUGH!"

Uh oh… maybe that last one was bit too much.

Hoity extended his shadow and used it like a whip cleaning the room of her clones before wrapping it around his prey. It then slithered around her back grabbing the stone from her bag.

"Hey! Let me go!"

He dragged her closer, snarling devilishly at her face restraining himself from ending her entirely. "Do not test me further, girl. Struggling will only make it tighter." He pried his attention to the stone for a moment tracing his fingers on the surface. A smile crossed his face afterward when he found it to be undamaged. "This little trinket makes the whole ordeal quite worthwhile."

"Geh!" Twilight wiggled but found the shadow tentacle to be quite tight. "Alright. You have the stone. Now give me Flash back."

"Not until I know where you get your relics." He demanded, gesturing to her geode. "How did you come into possession of these things so quickly when it takes us ages to find just one!? Where do these items come from? These geodes of yours, the Memory Stone we assembled, and that crown! How did you come to find so many artifacts that possess such powerful magic?"

"I bought them off the internet. Arghh!" She bit her lip as the shadow wrapped itself tighter nearly squeezing her bones.

"Do you not understand the situation you're in!? How are you still so stubborn?"

"Because I don't sell out my friends."

His patience has run its course. "Then perhaps their painful screams will change your mind." But just as he was about to summon his minions to do his bidding a strange ominous red light began glowing at his side. Curiously he stared at it thinking that it was some kind of magical reaction. "What in the…?" He reached out to it only to suffer a massive blowback that sent him crashing towards one of the pillars breaking it in pieces.

His shadow vanished as well dropping Twilight to the floor.

"Ow…"

"Did it work?" She heard a voice clearly belonging to Pinkie Pie.

"Oh… my stomach." Another accented one came along. "First being seasick wasn't enough. Now I'm teleport sick too? Hurgggll!"

"Guys?"

"Twilight!" She barely made a whimper when two strong arms wrapped themselves around her. "You're alright!"

"F… Flash?" She stammered, feeling her cheeks suddenly heat up. "H… how did you…? I thought you were taken by…"

"It's gonna take a lot more than a shadow monster to keep me away. And I found your friends along the way." He gestured to the gang who all huddled around the nerd, some tapping some relief to see her unharmed… in a way.

"What did I tell ya?" Rainbow Dash gloated. "Maybe the next time we go on another adventure, you'll look to me for advice?"

Twilight shook her head though she couldn't really deny it. "Maybe there is something to your movies after all."

"GRAAAAHHHH!" But their happy reunion was cut short when Hoity Toity burst out of the rubble looking even more ticked off than usual. His suit was ruined, his shoes was shriveled and his hair were just all over the place. "How can a bunch of teenagers be so annoying?!"

Twilight stepped forward. "Everyone be careful. He's way tougher than Cinch."

"Then it's a good thing we're here." Sunset added as she and the rest of the gang ponied up, striking a heroic pose. Flash instantly regretted not taking a picture. He would've saved it as his wallpaper. "Give it up Hoity. We got your number. We know your plans and it's over."

"We do?" Pinkie whispered back though no one really bothered to answer her.

"Oh you think you've seen all that I can do?" He giggled maniacally, brushing his hand through his hair. "I assure you, you haven't seen anything yet."

Black ink coiled around his body as his shadows swallowed him whole, cocooning him in a giant black blob. Their shape slowly began to change and expand into a large round mammal body towering them three times over. It paused for just a moment looking like an egg that wanted to hatch.

And sadly… it did.

One long head protruded from the body snaking upward, flashing its bright yellow eyes and sharpened fangs. Then another head popped. Then a third… then a fourth and finally… a fifth.

"Oh please." Pinkie chastised the man. "Turning yourself into a five-headed monster? That's the best you've got? We've fought off a literal spawn of Mother Nature herself and she was way scarier than you."

"GRAHHHH!"

"Everyone scatter!" They did so just in time before one of the hydra's jaw snapped at them crushing the ground like cardboard.

"That is one angry looking monster." Applejack snorted. "What's the plan here Sunset?"

"He might be stronger than Cinch but I'm willing to bet he has the same weaknesses as her. He can't keep this fight forever. It's a battle of attrition. We tire him out and make sure he can't escape. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rairity you three are on diversion duties."

"Yes! Finally!" The sports gal pumped her fist into the air. "A proper challenge! This is what I've been waiting for!"

"Applejack, you're our heavy hitter. I want you to go down and dirty and hit that thing where it hurts."

The cowgirl tipped her hat in response. "I'm always into getting down and dirty. Leave it to me."

"Everyone else will cover her. Got it?"

"Got it!"

"And Flash."

"I know I know. I'm staying out of this fight." He raised his hand up, not even protesting at this point. "You girls go kick his butt."

"That's the plan."

And with that last farewell, the girls charged in with all their magic.

The fight was on.

**(Celestia/Luna's Apartment)**

Celestia strolled out of her room humming a tune dressed in her usual working attire. Normally she'd be sitting on the couch enjoying a warm cup of tea. But alas the life of a Principal was never simple.

"Hello sister."

"Gah!" Celestia shot back startled. "Luna? What are you doing sleeping on the couch at this time?"

"Taking my afternoon nap." She explained. Though her weary eyes, messy hair and the huge haul she had with her said otherwise. A rough guess would say she had a hard time getting her ill-gotten loot back home. "Where are you going so late? Another date with Sombra?" There was a hint of bile in her tone when mentioning that name.

"No. Not today at least. I'm meeting with the Board of Education."

Her little sister shot up from her lying position. "Are we in trouble?"

"Surprisingly no. Neighsay gave a glowing review to the council regarding our school. Despite our… initial problems I might be able to persuade them to increase our budget and improve some of our more outdated facilities."

"I still think he's a vampire in disguise."

"Luna!" Celestia snipped at her. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Come on. With that look and that cape? He'll suck out your blood the moment you drop your guard. If this world has wolf monsters terrorizing the locals, and evil magic running rampant, why can't we have vampires as well?"

"I've known Neighsay since Hooverton. He might dress in red and black but other than that, he's an ordinary person. Honestly, your experience with these magical events has warped your senses."

"Say what you want. But the moment he raises his undead army to conquer the world and bring about eternal darkness, I'm blaming you."

"I'll be sure to take note." Celestia's eyes rolled to her purse. "Speaking of which, you mind checking in on Sunset and her friends? I haven't heard from them these last few days – and word is they've gotten themselves into even bigger trouble."

Considering their track record? That wouldn't be far from the point.

"Have you told them that they'll also be babysitting three of our most problematic students?"

She sighed. "No. I was hoping to spare them that trouble until the new semester. Just keep tabs on them for me."

"Fine." Luna waved it off reaching into her loot bag to grab a bottle of cider. "I'll check in on them. It's not like those girls are in some death-defying battle."

**(Castle Hoofbeard) (Portal Room)**

"Take this! And that! And this! And that with a hint of this!" Pinkie barked as she pulled one cupcake after another from her hair tossing it over to the Hydra-Hoity. The explosive confection exploding into puffs of powders blocking his vision while the stickier ones latched onto his body making it difficult to move around. "That's right you five-headed plagiarizer! You get a muffin! You get a muffin! And you get a muffin! You all get muffins!"

"Grahh! You insolent welp!"

"Not so tough without your shadows to back you up, ain't ya?" Rainbow Dash taunted putting on the magical Windigos' Hooflet. "Alright. Let's see what these bad boys can do. Rarity, mind giving me a lift?" The fashionista gladly complied giving her a platform to stand on. And with a raise of her hand she unleashed a gust of wind which sent the large creature reeling back.

"A little gale won't stop me, little girl!"

"I thought not. But what about a cupcake launcher? Hit it Pinkie!" Hoity raised a brow confused until Pinkie joined her side tossing her confection into the torrent which launched against him in a mini-tornado like a cannon.

Hoity retaliated sending another of its head against them but was blocked by another diamond shield.

"Not so fast!" Rarity declared. "You won't be getting to my friends so easily."

The hydra roared out angrily as it shoved its faces over and over trying to ram through her shielding while constantly being peppered by Rainbow Dash's wind barrage. But just as it shattered through, Rarity pulled up her cloak and vanished into thin air.

"Another one!?" Hoity gasped, confused. "Just how many relics do you children hav-gahh!" He reeled back when he felt someone punch him right in the gut. "WHAT!?

"Guess you don't have that soft underbelly, eh?" The cowgirl winked throwing another jab hoping to get a lucky strike. But all it did was made the giant hydra flinch.

xxxxxxxxxx

Flash had seen a lot of things before in his life. He had seen magic run rampant, a cruise ship sink to the bottom of the ocean, Sirens mind-controlling all of his friends to fight one another, a giant shadow wolf that chased him down the street, two power-hungry she demons hell bent of world domination. Heck he even saw a genuine pirate ship.

But this? This takes the cake!

Seeing the girls in action once more against a giant multi-headed hydra was just too cool to describe. No amount of stunts or computer editing in movies could ever compare to this. He felt like he was witnessing history in the making. A battle of legends where mighty warriors from the world battle against evil tyrants. This was the kind of fight where folktales are made from. He only wished he could cheer them harder from his hiding spot. Those girls were really just out of this world.

Twilight had somehow split herself into five separate copies attacking Hoity by his back. Pinkie, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were flying around launching volleys of explosive cakes, Applejack and Fluttershy were taking turns attacking and defending. And Sunset was at the center of the fight bringing down righteous fury upon the monster. And was it just me or did she seem a lot more powerful than before? She was definitely sporting a dark and sinister red glow.

With their teamwork, coordination and a whole lot of timing, they were able to beat that fashion-disaster back without taking a hit. He was sure that they'd win.

Hoity on the other hand seemed to have made a miscalculation on his part. By growing in size, the man had restricted himself greatly in this room. His heads couldn't extend far without hitting the ceiling, and his massive body was too cumbersome for the enclosed space. He wouldn't be able to fully utilize his abilities here.

This fight was pretty much in the bag. And if anyone asks, he'd say that it was totally worth risking his life for.

Heck, if he had a blow horn, pompoms and a boombox, he'd be whistling, waving his arms around and shouting rhymes like a cheerleader.

Wham! Pow! Kapow! Right in the kisser. Sunset was really giving it to the guy and Applejack was going to town on his stomach. With her brute strength she could've dented a whole truck engine with a single blow. Sadly Hoity's hydra form was made of sterner stuff. Still… their attacks were having some effect.

Every now and then he could see Hoity's human form poke out of the sludge. His face practically fuming smoke through his ears at this point. It wouldn't be long now before he gives up the ghost. This fight was easy.

Perhaps almost too easy.

But just as Flash flipped on the recorder on his phone, he noticed something amiss. The whole room itself seemed to be trembling. Pieces of the ceiling dropped on the floor, some chunks larger than most. The architect of this place certainly didn't put into account of a major fight between two magical forces and now the whole room seemed to be breaking at the seams. One of the many pillars which held the ceiling up cracked under the pressure and fell to the ground shattering into a billion pieces. His dad would've been livid if he saw such a prized historical piece destroyed. But worse still was that the fact that the support system for the ceiling had become weaker.

"That's… not good."

Larger pieces of the roof slowly began to fall, burying a section of the place under a ton of sand and earth. With all the bricks Twilight was pulling out from the wall, Applejack's haymakers, Pinkie's explosive pastries, and Sunset's magical barrage, it was no wonder that this place was tearing itself. If this continued, the whole castle above will come down on top of them.

…

Oh snap! That was it!

That must be Hoity's plan. The whole reason why he came here in the first place. Why he decided to bring out the big guns when a creature that size would be useless in such an enclosed space. He was gonna bury them in these ruins while he slithers away.

"Sunset!" He shouted across the room trying to get his ex's attention. "You have to stop! This whole place is coming down!" But the gang was too into the fight to hear him. In fact, seeing Hoity slowly retreat made the girls a little overconfident. They began throwing more reckless maneuvers, thinking that they had the upper hand.

Another pillar crumbled to dust, and with it the structural integrity of the room began to wane even more. None of them could see that they were about to be buried under a literal mountain.

"Guys!" He tried to call out again but sadly his voice could hardly reach them. "Oh I am so gonna regret this." Against all his instincts, against all desire to live, the boy bolted off hoping to warn the girls in time.

xxxxxxxxxx

Sunset never felt so much power before. She can practically feel the magic coursing through her veins. The Alicorn Amulet truly did exactly what it intended. It gave the wearer to powers equal or greater power of that of a true Alicorn. Her old spells, which she could never use as a human, suddenly became easy to cast with a flick of a finger. Was this how Twilight felt when she earned her wings? It's awesome!

She may be even more powerful than her alter-ego, Daydream.

Though the warning of corruption might be a little bit deterring. Thankfully she thought of a counter for such influence.

Surging the magic through her hands, Sunset blasted a powerful beam at Hoity melting one of his many heads into a bubbly paste. Sadly he simply sprung another one just like Twilight's copies.

One of those heads decided to wrap itself around her but she burned through it letting out an array of energy.

"You are indeed powerful." The hydra spoke in a raspy voice. "I'm beginning to understand how Cinch was defeated by you children."

"Oh you ain't seen **nothing** yet." She grinned menacingly before she clasped her hands together pulling out flames from thin air. Stunned, the girl launched her attack thrusting her fiery fists through its thick hide melting the shadow away like pudding. "Give it up Hoity. Just surrender now and we can all just talk things over."

"A little premature to be gloating your victory, little girl. I have not been bested in magic before and I don't intend to be defeated now." Several tendrils shot up from his body but again they simply melted away from the sheer heat of her hands.

"Cinch might've had the upper hand with us before. But we've learned a few things after fighting her. And unlike her, you don't have a plan. And believe me: Brute strength isn't gonna win this fight either."

"Oh on the contrary." His five heads grinned prompting the gang to jerk back. "You fell for my ruse the moment you set foot in this castle. I was only hoping to trap you here for a while. The Master didn't see fit to harm you. But seeing how powerful and dangerous you all are… I've decided to change things."

"Sunset!" The girl looked back noting Flash calling out to her.

"Flash? What are you doing? I told you to stay away!"

"It's a trap! He's stalling you down here! He wants you to think you're winning!" A trap? "This whole room is a death trap!"

And right when he finished, Hoity let out a villainous laugh before extending his heads in different directions, each of them wrapping around the last remaining pillars that held the place together. With a little squeeze they all crumbled to dust and fell upon the ground in pieces.

A loud and ominous tremor could be felt afterward.

Uh oh…

That didn't sound good.

The battle went completely silent when the rumbling echoed from all around them. It was as if the very mountain itself was groaning in pain, no longer able to take the pressure.

The gang looked around and Hoity stepped back, smiling what was coming.

As they waited in silence, the rumbling grew louder and more obvious, followed by a quake that shook them down to their feet.

It was Sunset who broke the silence. "This place is coming down!" And on her word, the ceiling began to fall on them as the very castle began to collapse inward.

"This place will be your tomb!" He let out one last howl before reverting back into his human form. "Goodbye ladies." His shadow wrapped around him once again, slithering him back into the darkness. But before he vanished completely, Twilight saw used a little bit of a sleight of her magic to whisk the relic from his grasp. "What? No! The st-" His laugh died out later.

With nothing left to hold the roof together, it all began to fall entombing the place in a ton of rubble.

"Look out!" Flash cried out when he saw the ceiling above Twilight crumble. He dove in head first tackling the girl away as the rubble separated them from the others.

Sunset cried out as she saw her two companions buried by the mountain. "Flash! Twilight! Can you hear me?"

"We're ok!" She heard her friend shout back. "My powers' holding the roof. But I don't think I can last much longer!"

"Don't worry. We'll get you out of there."

"No! There's no time. The whole castle will be coming down any second now and I can't hold the ceiling forever. You need to get out of here, now."

"Don't be ridiculous Sugar Cube. Just hold your bacon and we'll be there in a jiffy."

"That's right!" Rainbow Dash agreed already digging her hand through the rubble. "No one gets left behind.

"I don't think that's an option…!" Her weary words were magnified by the sound of the ceiling slowly falling down on them. "It's getting heavier to hold this… together."

"Sunset, go." Flash added. "Don't worry about me and Twilight. I have a plan to get us both out of here."

"But how?"

"It'll take too long for me to explain. Just trust me. I got this."

But she didn't want to. There was no way she was just gonna leave her friends here.

"Uh. Sunset." Pinkie whimpered pointing at the roof that was just about to touch their heads. "I think this is the part where we make like a tree and zap out of here."

With a sigh, she reached for her amulet, gathering her friends around her. But not before parting one last glance at the boy on the other side. "You promise you'll come back safe?"

He winked. "Pinkie promise." And no one breaks a Pinkie Promise. "Now go!" With a breath of air and a little magic, they were gone. Twilight allowed that section of the room to fall leaving them alone in the small area.

"Please tell me you actually have a plan to get us out of here."

"It's a bit of a long shot but…" He gestured to the Portal Stone and pointed at the gateway awkwardly.

"The portal!?" Twilight choked. "Are you insane!? We've barely understood the scope of this thing. If we go through there, who knows where we might end up?"

"I'm willing to bet that anywhere is better than here right now." That was the statement of the day.

And sadly Twilight agreed on that spectacular reasoning. He quickly placed it over the podium. And like earlier, it activated, tearing another rift through time and space. The portal looked safe to cross but at the same time they had no idea where it was heading. For all they know they might end up at the bottom of the sea or a place filled with carnivorous monsters, or maybe even the moon. But regardless of her worries, absolutely anything was better than being crushed by tons of rocks.

"This is a bad idea." She muttered to herself, second guessing her decision.

But Flash grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes. No panic showing on his face. "Do you trust me?"

Did she really have a choice?

Frightfully she nodded back, swallowing her fears. "Promise you won't let go?"

The boy let out a smile and tightened his grip on her hand. "Promise."

And with that last gulp of air they leaped in, right before the whole place came down.

To say the least, the sensation of going through that portal was out of this world. Flash felt his body twist and turn in ways he didn't even thought possible. If he had to describe it, he would say that it felt like he was being flushed down the toilet… quite literally. His whole body swirled around while the magic drained them through the wormhole heading off to god knows where.

The feeling lasted for about a minute before it finally decided to spat them out.

…

The first thing they felt was the sand brushing crudely against their skin and then the floor – or to be more precise: The lack of it. They expected to hit some solid ground but instead they fell upon another cliff, their limbs catching nothing but air. Their bodies slam against the wall of the cliff creating a natural yet deadly slide. With no control or steering, their bodies struck against bumps and boulders standing in their way.

By the time they stopped, the three teens were battered and beaten.

Dizziness and exhaustion took over as they laid there, grunting in pain. Their whole bodies ached from head to toe as their visions began to blur.

Flash tried to stay awake but was failing badly. Pain crunched his head. But from the corner of his eye, a strange figure poked its head out, two big round eyes looking at him with wondrous curiosity.

"Oh~~~ wow. Ouch. That looked like it hurt. Need some help?"

His conscious faded after.


	37. A Particularly Perilous Problem

**Chapter 37: A Particularly Perilous Problem**

**(Unknown)**

The first thing Twilight felt when her eyes drifted open was the ache she felt on her body. That and the uncomfortable feeling her bed gave. It felt like she was sleeping on straws and her pillow was literally a hay bale that pricked and poked her head like a soft-needled porcupine.

She struggled to find a comfortable spot but failed, shifting from side to side only to feel someone lick her cheeks.

"Eww… Spike. I told you not to do that." She reached out to the side, grabbing her glasses granting her vision back. **"Stupid dog." **She felt too tired, too grumpy to deal with him at the moment. But instead of finding her lovable-adorable purple companion, she was greeted by the snout of a sheep chewing on her hair. "Bwahh!" Her whole body jolted up fumbling clumsily before reaching the large barn door breaking it open and landing head-first on the sand. "Ow…"

The sheep that lingered in the barn poured out of there letting their annoying baa sound as they ran.

Spitting the sand out, Twilight rose back wondering what in the world just happened. Did Fluttershy put them here? Or was this another one of Pinkie's pranks? She wouldn't put it pass that bubbly girl to do something as sinister as this. Though animals weren't normally her forte.

As her vision slowly returned to her she quickly realized that there was a crack on one of her lenses hampering her sights. She would've complained and whined about the whole thing too had she not noticed something else that frazzled her brain entirely.

Where in the world was she?

Or… hopefully not WHEN was she.

Looking up she discovered that she was no longer in Canterlot. It was more like a remote farm in the middle of nowhere. Several structures made out of clay, straws and wood dotted the area, one of which was the place she woke up. There were two pens housing pigs and sheep, a water well and a whole mountain side as far as the eye could see. It way WAY different from Applejack's farm. Probably because of the lack of grass and a whole heap of sand.

Wait… sand?

**"Correct us if we're wrong. But I don't think there's sand this plain where we come from."**

There certainly wasn't. That would certainly explain the course and rough feeling she had all over her body. And it would explain why it felt so much warmer than usual. She cupped a handful of the powder making sure it was real.

Wherever she was now, it certainly wasn't Canterlot. And it certainly wasn't Equestria either. She still had her fingers and her rear side wasn't exposed like it did during her first incursion into the land of ponies. She even made sure of it checking her own reflection on the well water. Nope. No snouts or horns. Just your average ordinary boring human face. Thank goodness for that.

"Ok Twilight. No need to panic. Calm down and think this thoroughly."

**"Oh sure. You say that now. But we both know how this ends."**

"What happened to you last night?" She never got the chance to question her bewilderment when another foreign voice called her out from behind.

"You're awake!" A girl her age with amber hair dashed to her side. Twilight barely had the time to tense up when two strong yet surprisingly slender arms wrapped around her pulling her into a tight embrace. "And you're not dead too! That's a plus." The girl boomed a second time, a smile so large that it practically split her face in two. "Oh I'm so happy you're ok. I was beginning to think you were gonna sleep forever. How are you feeling? Any pains? Aches? Swollen features or bumps?" She practically violated Twilight's face poking her face in every corner like a mad doctor.

"Uh… no? Thank you?"

"Oh you are absolutely welcome." The girl released her tight grip. "Man that was one heck of a fall you took. I'm surprised you weren't too badly hurt."

"I uh… me too?" She stammered, trying to make sense of this bizarre invasion of personal space. "And uh… who are you exactly?"

The young lady in a strange greenish attire let her go, slapping her head in realization. "Oh sorry. I must've left my manners in my other pants. You're the first guests I've had over here in um…" She counted her fingers muttering something but decided to leave it be. "A long while. I kinda forget how to greet people properly. Ahem." She coughed into her hand before extending it. "Hi. I'm Autumn Blaze."

"I'm… Twilight… S-s-s-s-Sparkle~!" The bespectacled girl accepted it hesitantly which she immediately regretted when the woman practically shook it frantically.

"Hello there Twilight Sparkle. How was your sleep? Were you comfortable? Were there enough pillows? Blankets? Can I offer you some snacks? Cucumber sandwich." She brought out the said sandwich from nowhere. "They're delicious~"

"N – no thank you. I'm not hungry. Ah… anyway. Autumn Blaze?"

"Oh! Are we going through first name basis? Does that make us friends? Oh please say yes!"

**"No."**

Twilight's craz-dar alarm was going off. Something tells her that she was going to regret it. "Uh… sure. Why not?" Strangely enough she heard someone palm their face in reaction.

Autumn pumped her sandwich up into the air laughing giddily. "Ooooh! I knew this was going to be a great day. It's barely noon and I already made a friend! How awesome is that? And here I thought I was gonna be bad with this friend stuff. Oh! Does that mean we get to paint our nails, try on clothes and talk about cute boys and stuff? I have a selection of teen magazines in my house."

"Actually…"

"Oh! We can fill in the quizzes that requires two people! And we can pass them to one another and compare. How cool is that!?"

"Can I just…"

"And we can finally have that sleepover. I've always wanted to try a sleepover. It sounds like so much fun!"

"Excuse me!" Twilight snapped, grateful that she finally stopped talking to have her think. "Sorry. Autumn Blaze, was it? I don't mean to be rude or anything but can I ask you a few questions?"

"Oh! Are we playing that game called 20 Questions? I love games. Go right ahead."

**"God. Talking to her was like talking to a sugar-dosed Pinkie Pie."**

"Ok… firstly… where am I? And how did I get here!?"

She gave Twilight a questioning look. "None of those sound like yes or no questions."

**"Can you just… answer the damn question!?"**

"It's a new type of rule to the game."

"Oh? Really? Honestly this is my first time playing it. But ok!" Oh thank god. "So, you're at my home. It doesn't exactly have an official name. But we're close to my hometown of Peril Peaks, so I guess we could call it that." She grinned like a cat who only learned how to smile. "As for your 2nd question. Umm… well… I don't know."

Don't know? "How can you **not know**!?" She was starting to lose her patience.

"Well I honestly don't know. When you guys came through that magic gateway yesterday, I patched you up and brought you here."

Wait… magic gateway?

The portal?

Those key words alone were enough to jolt her brain awake and clicked her memories into place. Memories of critical moments that happened not long ago.

"The portal…" Twilight covered her mouth gasping. "The fight… Hoity… my friends… Flash!"

"Flash? Is that like a band?"

"No!" She cringed. "You wouldn't happen to know a guy named Flash, would you?"

"Oh are you talking about that blue haired kid with the leather jacket, quite handsome?"

"Yes!"

"Nope. Never heard of him."

…

Huh? "But you just said…"

"But I do have a boy who looks like him in my storehouse." You know what? Twilight wasn't even gonna question it anymore. Making sense out of her loony words was just too much to handle right now. "Oh and just a heads up: Your friend isn't doing so well either."

…

Well that didn't sound ominous at all.

The brunette led Twilight to the back of her home pass the sheep pens in what looked like a small warehouse made out of clay. And inside, lying on a bed made of hay was the boy in question, his whole upper body wrapped in more bandages that made him look like a half-baked mummy.

"Flash!" Twilight dashed over as the boy stirred from his sleep after hearing his name.

"Twilight? Is that you?" He struggled to get up, pain surging through his body with every move. "Are you ok?"

"Forget about me! I should be the one asking you that!" She scolded, pushing the boy back on his bed and scanning for every injury she could find through her cracked lens. There were bruises and bumps all over his body. Scratches decorating his handsome face down to his legs. Much of his clothes looked like they were torn up from the fall. "Look at you! You're a complete mess."

"Heh… yeah." He forced out a smile trying to calm her. "I'm gonna get a lot of scars from this. The girls are gonna go crazy for me now." Oh you stupid boy and your stupid scars.

Autumn Blaze chuckled. "Oh! I read about that. It was in-"

"Not now. How bad is it?" Twilight asked her, turning away from the boy for a brief moment.

"Oh. Well I'm no nurse, but from what I saw… it's pretty bad. You should've seen him when I brought him over. Yeesh. He was not in good shape. Not that he's in any better shape now. But you know? He's in bad… yeah I'm rambling."

**"Gee ya think?"**

"Don't sweat it." He tried to assure her but his sweating beads and flinching body didn't really put a convincing act. "It's not as bad as it looks." Yeah it wasn't. It was worse. Definitely a lot worse.

"We need to get you to a doctor." Twilight insisted.

**"More like a mortuary."**

"Quick. Where's the nearest hospital?"

"Hospital. Yeah…" Autumn breathed. "You might wanna take a rain check on that. Because there aren't any around here."

"What!?"

"Have you seen outside? There's nothing out there but sand for miles around here. This is by far the most remote place you'll find around this corner of the world. They don't call this place the Perilous Peaks of Peril for nothing. The closest thing we have to a nurse around here is our resident witch doctor. And honestly, she's not exactly reliable. All her solutions usually involves her special tonics. I definitely wouldn't recommend it." She leaned in to whisper. "They say all of her tonics are the same. But she just uses food coloring to make them look different."

"Wait… how long were we out?"

"Eh… about a day or so… give or take."

"My friends!" She gasped. "Sunset and the others. They might be trapped when the castle came down. I need to call them." She reached for her cellphone and began dialing only to find that there was again no signal. "No signal!? What the heck? Is this thing broken?"

"Twilight, calm down." Flash placed a hand over her shoulder, squeezing it softly before she began hyperventilating. "I'm sure they're fine. That portal must've sent us somewhere pretty far. We just need to cool our jets and think of a solution."

Twilight hesitantly agreed. She knew time and time again that panicking and being angry doesn't resolve anything. After a few deep breaths, she spoke. "You're right. I'm probably just thinking the worst case scenario. They should be fine. With their magic combined, they can tackle anything." Another sigh escaped her. "Autumn Blaze. You wouldn't happen to have a phone I can borrow, would you?"

"Nope." The happy lady replied in and oddly giddy tone.

"O… k? Do you know anyone who happens to own a phone?"

"Well. No one here owns anything as fancy as your little gizmo there. I mean we are literally in the middle of nowhere. The only person I knows who owns something close to a phone around here is the shopkeeper. Maybe we can ask him."

**(Saturday evening) (Canterlot) (House by the Hill)**

It was the middle of the night in Canterlot.

Sunset paced around the living room, terrified out of her mind. She could hardly get any sleep at all last night. After they escaped Castle Hoofbeard through a powerful teleportation spell, the whole place seemed to have swallowed itself. Whatever was left of the castle sunk into the ocean, the last of bygone architecture now buried at the bottom of the sea.

Such a catastrophic event wouldn't be ignored either. Roughly an hour after the whole mountain came down, emergency services from Canterlot arrived the quarantine the area. The official news was that the whole Castle itself was built on top of an unstable mountain and that it was high time that it came down. Thankfully no one was hurt when it fell and the most anyone felt there was perhaps a light tremor. Even the newly open resort that Filthy Rich opened hardly saw any damage and was still planning to open regardless.

The gang opted to stay as long as they could to wait for their friend to appear but sadly the authorities told them that they should leave as the last ferry back to the city was going.

Ever since then she had been waiting by the living room, worried out of her mind.

"Didn't get any sleep either I see." Rarity's voice came up leaning by the kitchen holding a cup of hot coco in hand. "I don't suppose she called?"

"No." She shook her head, taking a seat by the fireplace. "I tried calling her but they're all going to voicemail. Maybe I should head back to the island and check."

"You won't make it pass the quarantine dear. We both know that." The whole section of the island had been declared a hazardous zone prompting the new owner of the island to make some new… renovations. A whole army of construction workers were sent there to 'fix' the area making it more appealing. Some even say that they were gonna convert it into a golf course. "I'm sure it's not as bad as you might think. Twilight does have a habit of losing her phone in the worse possible moment."

"She does… doesn't she?" Sunset groaned. "I'm not taking this very well."

"Don't be so gloomy. Despite your lack of sleep dear, I still believe you're taking this far better than Rainbow Dash."

That was an understatement. The poor girl was practically furious when they got back. She was in such an emotional state that she was ready to bust down Hoity's store and attack him then and there. Thankfully Applejack and Fluttershy were able to talk her out of it saying that striking at the man in broad daylight in a crowded area will only bring even more harm to those around them. The damage they did on the island was proof enough. Besides, with the power he invoked there was no telling what else he was capable of.

"I just wish there was just some way to find out if she's alright."

"Twilight is a resourceful girl darling. She's one of the bravest persons I know. There hasn't been a challenge she hasn't been able to beat with that big brain of hers. And don't forget she's not alone. Flash is there with her and he promised to come back safe. A man like him tends to keep their word one way or another." Somehow knowing that he was there too made her even more worried. "Oh? Are these cupcakes?"

"Yeah. Pinkie made them as part of her… cheer up confection before she left to check up on her family. I think the whole incident really got her spooked. And honestly… I don't blame her."

"Well for a girl like Pinkie, she really does look out for you." Yeah… she really does. "Speaking of which, I do happen to have a bit of good news though."

"Really?"

"My spy network in Hoity's inner circle just called in."

"You mean Vignette."

"Spy network…" Rarity insisted. "… found out that Hoity is planning something big. Apparently he's moving a lot of his designs to Filthy Rich's resort. He's practically booked the whole venue."

"Wasn't he going to put the next part of his show there?"

"Yes but even this is a little too much. Even fashion stars like him have limits. It's like he's preparing for something big. Vignette also texted me that he's become… a little odd. Angrier for some reason."

"Glad to know we weren't the only ones affected by that fight."

"That too." Rarity bobbed her head in agreement. "Anyway. She's invited me for a little dinner outing to tell me all about it. And honestly I could use a little distraction from… all of this."

"Yeah… I understand. Sorry for wrecking your chance for the Grand Runway."

She waved it off jokingly. "Oh there will be plenty of opportunities to get there. A spot in the limelight may come and go, but a true friend like Twilight comes once in a lifetime. And I wouldn't feel comfortable being anywhere near that snake. Brrr." The thought of facing that man alone in his stronghold made her shiver. "Call me when Twilight calls?"

"Definitely."

**(Luna/Celestia's Apartment)**

Luna let out a satisfied moan as she got out of the showers feeling warm and fresh. It was one of the rare moments that she would be home all alone with nothing but a good movie, leftover food from the party and a good drink to wash it down. Celestia was off to some meeting in town and wouldn't be back until later tonight leaving her in charge of the whole apartment. Normally she'd bring friends over and set up a party that'll last till dawn. But sadly she stopped having those ever since the last party she held in their school dorm ended with them having many of their personal effects stolen.

Leaning back on her favorite chair with nothing but her bathrobes and a plate of leftover tacos, she switched on the TV and leaned back, expecting today to be one of relaxation. But… sadly the universe had to spoil her fun. The landline suddenly began to ring prompting her to answer.

"Hello?" If this was some kind of advertisement, she was going to slam the phone.

Thankfully it wasn't. "Oh. Luna?"

"Sombra?" The girl sounded surprise recognizing his voice. "Kind of late to be making calls, don't you think?"

"I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you so late. Is this a bad time?"

"No. Not at all." She tightened her bathrobes feeling somewhat exposed. "I was just um… having a little snack. A 'healthy' snack. Uh… anyway, my sister isn't around."

"Oh that's a shame. I've been trying to reach her cell but she's not answering."

"Yeah she does that. Celestia has a habit of putting her phone on silent. I've been getting her to fix that. What's up?"

"Well… actually I'm a little concerned."

"Concerned?" That wasn't a word he used lightly. "Did something happen?"

"I'm… not quite sure." How can you not be sure? "It's actually... about my son."

"Flash? What about him?"

"Well that's the thing. I don't really know. My butler said that he failed to come home last night and he hasn't left a single message."

"Did you try calling him?"

"Of course I have but it's going straight to voice mail. I sent him on an errand the other day but it shouldn't be difficult. I'm worried something might've happened to him."

"Whoa whoa. Calm down now Sombra. Deep breaths." Luna cooed him. "I'm sure it's nothing serious. Flash is a mature and responsible boy. But he is still just a kid at heart. It's possible that might've left his phone unattended. Besides, we just had our school annual Winter Holiday party. He probably just stayed over at a friend's house and forgot to tell you. It happens all the time. Trust me."

"Right. Right of course." He sounded somewhat relieved though a part of him still felt unsure. "I'm probably just overthinking things. My parenting skills are in dire need of work." Wow she never thought Sombra would be such a doting overprotective parent. Points for him. "But what if he's in trouble? What if he's hanging out with the wrong crowd and it got him arrested?" Ok. Going from overprotective parent to dangerously overprotective parent with a hyperactive imagination. A dangerous combination and a nightmarish client for those parent-teacher conferences. It wouldn't be the first one she dealt with.

"Sombra! Just remain calm. There's no need for you to go all crazy on me. I don't want you calling all of his friends to find him."

"Right right. Of course. Maybe I should just mobilize the police. Have them search the vicinity."

She blinked. "Y… you can do that?"

"I'm friends with the Police Commissioner. I can have him scour the city." Luna gripped the phone tighter, biting her lip. She didn't want to respond as she wanted to see if he could actually pull it off. Watching the whole police force scouring the city for one boy sounded very tempting. But thankfully her angelic conscience won over.

"Why don't we try something subtle before we go full freak-out mode. I know some of his friends. I'll give them a call in the morning and see if they know where he is. Someone's bound to know I assure you, everything is perfectly fine."

"But…"

"Sombra." She responded firmly. "It'll be fine. I promise. I'll call you in the morning."

"O… ok. If you say so. I'll book the next flight back to Canterlot. I'll see you soon."

The call ended with a defining tone on the other line leaving the Vice-Principal hanging. She rolled her eyes thinking that this might just be another hiccup. He wouldn't be the first parent who'd call to check up on their children.

But… knowing Flash's past relationships with some of the girls…

…

Hmm… maybe he was right to be worried.

Well… at least she knows who to call first.

**(Peril Peaks Town)**

When Twilight came to town she was hoping for some standard to civilization, some kind of beacon to give her some measure of hope. But instead she felt like she had gone through a worm hole going back in time. The town of Perilous Peaks, whose name still baffles her, was stuck in the renaissance age. There was absolutely no electricity, the most advance technology here was a railway station that only connected to a city she never heard of before, the closest thing they had to a doctor around here was a crackpot witch doctor who looked more like someone who'd poison you for fun, and the people here live in huts and hovels made out of clay bricks, straws and scrap wood. There wasn't even a single car or bicycle to boot because those things would easily sink into the sand the moment it slips off the road.

"Well that was a complete** waste of time."** Twilight restrained a scream throwing her hands up in the air.

Flash tried to reassure her patting her shoulder as he exited the store, now sporting a new cane. "It wasn't that bad. The shopkeeper was nice. He gave me this cool walking stick for free. It's not his fault that his phone was low keyed."

"His _'Phone'_ wasn't even a phone to begin with! It's a glorified walkie-talkie. What kind of phone works with only one number!? You might as well be using two plastic cups attached with strings!"

_'That's… gonna take a lot of strings.'_ Flash wanted to say but decided to let her have a moment to rant. The poor girl looked like she needed it.

"Well at least we know that we're not in some alternate world or back in time." That was the first of their concerns which was thankfully resolved. For a moment there Twilight began to think that they had gone to a separate universe or, as Flash said, gone back in time. That would simply complicate things. But thankfully the store had an updated calendar of today and a globe which thankfully had all the names they recognized. So no worries there.

"Yes… just some place in Saddle Arabia. Literally on the other side of the world."

"Considering the fact that we were gonna be squashed by a castle, I still think this is the better option."

"Can you please take this **seriously**!?" She snapped. "We are trying to reach our friends who are probably worried sick about us after our fight with Hoity who, may I remind you, is still out to get us! Try to take this with a little more urgency."

"Sorry. I'll try to sound a little more urgent next time." He let out a soft chuckle surprisingly unflinching to her sudden outburst. "So what do we do now?"

"I… don't know." And she hated that. She hated not knowing things. She hated being here. She hated the sand that seemed to go in her mouth every time she talks. "We're stranded in the middle of who-knows-where with no method of communication, no resources and out of our depth. I should be panicking right now but I'm keeping a level head. Normally in situations like this I'd call a friend for a favor or try to find the authorities. But there are none of those around here!"

"Ouch… that's bad."

**"Gee, you think?" **The strange voice echoed in her head.

She cradled her face sighing heavily. "Give me a moment. I need to come up with a solution. I'm just…"

"Hey, easy now. You're gonna blow a gasket if you keep trying too hard. Why don't we take a break and grab something to eat?"

Twilight opened her mouth to complain but then her stomach answered for her growling loudly, enough so that a few passerby even noticed. "Ugh… maybe some calories will help me think. What is there to eat around here?"

Their resident tour guide gladly accepted the question. "Oh I'm glad you asked. I have just the place! It's the best restaurant in the whole town." Twilight sensed a 'but' in that sentence. "Only because it's the only restaurant we have here." There it is. "The special cactus milk juice is to die for. And their pickled egg salad just melts in your mouth."

Some food at last. Flash was more than happy to take whatever they had on offer. Now that he thought about it. Neither he nor Twilight had eaten anything for a day and a half.

"Sounds great. Uh… do you guys take coins?" He pulled out some loose change from his pocket handing it awkwardly to the girl. "I didn't exactly bring a lot of money with me."

Twilight couldn't help but roll her eyes. How can one of, if not THE richest bachelor in Canterlot not have money in his pocket.

Autumn however shook her head in decline. "Well sorry to burst your bubble. But folks around here don't use coins or cash like those in the big city. We're more into the traditional way of transactions."

Twilight's face twitched. "Which is?"

"Bartering!"

She pulled out two bags of wool from her sack, grinning giddily before slamming in front of the table where a disinterested waiter sat. Their food came a minute later which was surprisingly edible despite its strange coloring. They ate without much of a hassle with Twilight trying her best to keep a level head of the situation at hand. She even went as far as muttering and trying to write something on the table they were on.

"So let me get this straight. You guys are came from the other side of the world?" Autumn Blaze continued

Flash nodded taking a bite off his sandwich which made his face turn sour. "Pretty much. Just your ordinary teens."

"Do teens on the other side of the world use magic and go through portals?"

"No no. Nothing like that." She pouted back dejectedly. "That's just Twilight and her friends. They're the special ones."

Her eyes widened. "Really? You can use magic? As in real magic?"

Twilight didn't really want to answer. Her mind was still processing the situation they were in. But thankfully a nudge from the boy jolted her to amuse her new friend's question. "Huh? Ah… yes. Magic. Whatever. Woo…"

"What kind?"

Is there no end to her questions? "Just a few basic spells. I can cast a light spell, move or hold objects." She demonstrated by casually moving their cups in formation which naturally amazed the locals.

"Oh wow! That is amazing." Her giddiness and excitement were so adorable that it kind of reminded them of Pinkie. "You know… I happen to be a practitioner of magic too." She pulled out a deck of cards and flashed it at them. "Go ahead. Pick a card any card." Twilight rolled her eyes boringly but Flash stepped in to humor her. "Now look at it and put it back." He did so and she shuffled the cards randomly before pulling one out. "Is this your card?"

"Uh… no."

"Huh… that's weird. It always seem to work when I play by myself. Maybe I did a move wrong? Can I try that again?"

**"Please say no."**

Twilight decided to ignore the two and focused on the real problem at hand. Firstly they had to contact their friends who were undoubtedly worried sick about them. And the feeling was mutual. They needed a way back home and sadly the only REAL method of transportation was through a two way railway system whose train rarely comes by – if at all.

And even if they could catch a ride to the big city, they'd still be miles away from home with no connections, no resources and barely enough cash to get by.

Ugh… this is so much worse than the time they stumbled into Equestria. And Flash was no use either. He was busy being friends with the new girl who continued to play a few other cheap magic tricks like a coin behind your ear. Honestly, why even pretend?

If only she had some way of getting contacting her friends.

At least that way they can get something done around here.

**(Canterlot Mall) (Little Café)**

Rarity didn't think she could ever get depressed in the mall before. Normally visiting this place would bring her smiles throughout the day. The lights, the sights and sounds. The specials sales in the boutiques. None of them ever fails to bring a smile to her face. But sadly tonight was different and she could tell why.

While she tried to put on a brave face for Sunset, in the back of her mind, her subconscious was gnawing at each other. Each bite producing terrible scenarios in which her two friends could've ended up. She tried to convince herself that they were fine. That they must've just gotten themselves into a little mishap and would be calling them soon to tell them that they were fine. But that didn't seem like the case here.

"Rarity! There you are, you silly goose you." A silky voice brought her out of her rut which prompted her to force out a polite smile.

"Vignette! It's so good to see y-ou?" She looked up only to find herself flinching back at the girl she did not recognize. "Uh… who… are you?"

"Oh you and your jokes dear. It's me! Vignette." Was it her though? She sounded like Vignette, talked like Vignette but the woman in front of her was not Vignette. At least… not the Vignette she remembered. Vignette Valencia was the epiphany of fashion and a lover of all things bright and beautiful. This girl was like a gothic version of her. With those heavy combat boots, thick overly compensating leather top that drove into her skin, a jacket adorned with skulls and bones, and a spiky hairdo that screamed 'troublemaker'. Many eyes in the mall fell upon her – and not the good kind of stares.

"It… it is you." She gawked.

"Oh you must be dazzled by my new outfit." Oh she was dazzled alright. Though not in the way she was thinking. "It's part of my new outlook. A new… point of view if I have to say so myself. I was going for bleak and hopelessness. The Doom and Gloom kind of vibe."

She certainly got the doom and gloom part alright. An evil warlord in those fantasy novel would take her as a bride the moment they set their eyes on her. Heck a lot of folks can already picture her sitting on a spiky throne while resting her feet atop some poor unfortunate soul. Honestly, not even a Skull Cruncher fan would wear so much mascara.

"It's certainly something." Rarity eyed her up and down before returning to her seat.

"Coffee, black." Vignette stated to the waiter who immediately jotted it down. "And one of those lovely chocolate."

Rarity continued to observe her friend but found her attire to be increasingly distracting. That girl was one belt buckle away to give a dominatrix a run for her money. It was a rather sudden change for the girl to go from hippie lover to… whatever this was.

"It's so nice to finally see you again." The lady in black cooed, throwing a cute smile which only seemed to make her mascara crackle like wrinkles. "Where have you been? I've been quite worried since you stopped showing up at the amphitheater."

"Yes. That. It's a long story."

"It certainly must be. When I heard that you were forfeiting from Hoity's pageant show, I was completely shocked. Did something happen?"

"Let's just say that Hoity and I don't see eye to eye with some things." It wasn't a lie. The man was a genius with fashion, but trying to hurt her friends was another matter. "As a matter of fact, I think you should do the same."

Vignette waved her hand bluntly. "Oh nonsense now Rarity. I'm having the time of my life working in that place. I even managed to make some new friends with the other contestants. It's a wonder why we were even at each other's throats to begin with when we can work together to make our designs even better."

"That does sound wonderful and I am happy for you Vignette but… Hoity isn't what he seems." Rarity took a sip from her cup failing to notice her friend's glare turning deathly for a brief moment. "He's up to something, I'm sure of it."

She expected the girl to deny such a fact, saying that she was coo-coo. But surprisingly she just nodded back as if agreeing with her. "Well… he has been rather prickly of late. And not to mention all those strange people he's been meeting."

Rarity's eyes shot up. "Strange people?"

"Oh it's nothing. Probably just his fellow star fashionists. One of them dropped by yesterday after he came back from Freefall Island. He kind of reminds me of a vampire to be honest. But that's not even the weirdest part." Vignette took her friend's silence as a sign to continue. "He moved the next part of his pageant ahead. Instead of next weekend, he plans to host it at the resort next Wednesday."

Next Wednesday? That's a tad bit early and highly unusual. Hoity's pageant show didn't really involve them or any of his plans. That kind of last minute change would only look bad on his image.

Unless…

There was something they weren't seeing yet.

Now that she thought about it, during the first leg of the pageant show, Twilight said that Hoity casted a powerful spell in the area. There weren't any changes. At least not that they could see. But what if that was the point? What if that spell had something to do with the pageant?

There were too many variables. Too many theories and none of them can be good especially with that crazed fashionista at the head of it all.

"But why would Hoity do all that?"

The dominatrix shrugged as her order finally arrived. "Beats me. But all I know is that a lot of big names are going to be there. Chestnut Magnifico, Mayor Mare, Filthy Rich and a whole slew of celebrities. He even RSVP his old partner, Fancy Pants. I took a shot at the guest list. It's actually quite remarkable."

"I don't suppose you'd mind if I took a quick look?"

"Not at all." She handed out her phone only to pull it back cunningly. "But~~ you'll have to do something for me in return."

Rarity opened her mouth to speak but decided not to. It was only fair that they both got something out of it. "And that would be?"

"The other contestants and I are meeting up tomorrow afternoon at a local warehouse for a final draft on our designs and I'd like you to model for me. There's this saucy new outfit that I made which would look perfect on you."

"Oh… Vignette I'm honored. But I don't think…"

"Please?" She reached out to her hand pleading with a coy smile. "Not many people have your kind of pizazz. Not to mention your grace and perfection." Oh what a lovely compliment. That actually managed to cheer her up. "If not for me then for the guest list."

Rarity wasn't in the mood for fashion right now but… if it'll help shed some light into Hoity's plans then…

"Oh alright. I suppose I could use the extra distraction." Her friend's grin widened.

**(Autumn's ranch)**

Flash found this place to be strangely… relaxing. It might just be the pain numbing his thoughts, or the itch on his hand, or maybe it was that sandwich he ate. Either way… he didn't seem all that troubled with the situation he was in.

Sure he was trapped on the other side of the world but comparing that to a dull day back in Canterlot, he'll pick this place any time.

There was a certain charm to it. The small desert town down in the valley had character. While it was stuck in the past, that only seemed to give it its own personality. The folks there seemed friendly enough. They did seem a little quiet and many would pass the occasional glance at them. Foreigners must be quite a rare sight around here and their attires were a dead giveaway too.

Thankfully their new friend, Autumn Blaze, was more than happy to have them stay for a while. Honestly, if it wasn't for her, he and Twilight would be eating dust in the desert for god knows how long – or… worse.

Still there was something odd about that new girl. And he wasn't talking about her overfriendliness either.

"So Autumn. I've been wondering…"

"Oh! About how the sky is an infinite void full of everything yet nothing at the same time?"

He paused, brow raised at the smiling girl. "Uh… no. I was actually wondering who else live with you? I mean other than the animals."

"Well other than me and my shadow." I'm sorry. Did I hear that right? Did she just say her shadow? "I call mine Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands. She's been with me since like… forever."

"Right~~~" The boy wasn't sure if he should be amazed or just creep out. No. You know what? He was going for the latter part. "Where are your parents?" He froze. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Oh they live in the big city." That answer gave the boy some measure of relief. "My dad owns a plantation there so they're pretty much busy all season long. They send the occasional letters from time to time – or a postcard. I really love those. I have many of them hanging on my wall."

"Oh…" Flash bobbed his head, putting the pieces together. "So you're just staying here for the holidays."

"Nope. I live here." Here? In this desolate ranch in the middle of nowhere? "Been living here on my own for a few years now. It's been awesome."

"Really?"

"Of course!" She said so with a wide smile. "I mean what's not to love? I got my goats, my own house, I live by my own rules, eat whatever I want, sleep whenever I want and don't have to worry about a thing." There was a pause there. "Well except for giant sandstorms that come over every once in a while. But other than that, it's been a peach."

"Ok… but don't you have friends?"

"Oh I have plenty of those." Autumn pointed over to the view overlooking the town where three scarecrow-like figures stood with faces drawn over their 'heads'. "That's Henry the Hay, Billy the Bucket Master and Coco the Coconut." She gave them a strange friendly wave before leaning in to whisper. "Whatever you do, don't ask about Billy's feet. He's really sensitive about it."

Ooooo… kay. Somehow this explains a lot… and a little at the same time.

"I'll uh… keep that in mind."

"Hey, do you guys want to hang out tomorrow? We can go to my favorite spot in the whole village just up the mountain. Your mind will be blown. I guarantee it." Hopefully not in a literal sense.

"Sounds like fun." The boy looked in Twilight's direction noticing her tracing something on the sands before scrubbing it off angrily. "But we'll probably be busy so maybe we'll take a rain check on that." Do they even have rains around here?

Autumn nodded, accepting that answer before heading off to her house leaving the two of them alone.

Flash had a feeling that Twilight wasn't in the best of moods right now. Her snappy change in attitude was a dead giveaway. She's normally such a sweet, nerdy, calm and collected gal who had a sarcastic sense of humor. But now it seems like even the most mundane thing can annoy her. Even the trip back to the ranch was arduous.

"Hey, Twilight. Are you ok?"

"Ok!?" She snapped at him out of her usual behavior, eye twitching. "Oh sure. I'm perfectly fine. We're just trapped on another continent entirely, completely cut off from everyone we know. I'm peachy!"

Yeah… he'll take that as a no.

"Maybe you might wanna take it easy for a while. I mean… no offense but we did just come through a fight with a five headed monster the other day. How about you take a break?"

"How can you be so calm in this situation right now!? Don't you get it? We're trapped with no way of going home! Who knows how long it'll take for us to back!? It could take months! Years even! If ever!"

Honestly he wasn't sure either. He should be panicking like her. He should be feeling some sense of dread in his body. But strangely enough he was calmer than the ocean on a lovely day.

"I dunno." He admitted. "I mean… yeah… we are in a bit of a pickle right now but I figured that getting all worked up on it isn't going to help anyone. Besides… this place is kind of nice."

"Well I'm glad one of us is having fun. But some of us here want to go home to our friends and families. Not hang around some desert!" Youch. That was prickly for her standards. "So while you're off hanging out with your new buddy, I'm going to the portal and find us a way back. Some of us here actually care about our old friends."

"That's not what I…" She shoved him aside and walked off, looking like something crawled up her skin and died. That girl was angry. Unusually so. Even a bit of her magic seemed to flare up.

And was it just him or did he see her sprout black wings for a second there?


	38. Trial and Error

**Chapter 38: Trial and Errors**

**(Perilous Peaks) (Autumn's Ranch)**

Flash can't remember the last time he was yelled at. Perhaps he simply can't remember.

Perhaps he locked those memories away in the back of his mind.

After Twilight stormed off to the gateway he's been sitting here watching the goats making noise. He tried to follow her but then he wounds began to act up forcing him to take a seat by the pens and wait for her eventual return.

He can't remember seeing Twilight ever being that angry or snippy for that matter. The rage and venom she spat out was downright hurtful. It was almost as if she was another person entirely. She was normally the calm and collected one. Always having a level head above her shoulder. The gal who had the solution to everything. But now she looked like the girl who had a shorter fuse than Rainbow Dash on a bad day.

"Hey~~" Autumn poked her head into his field of view holding that same smile she had all day long. "How's it sanding?"

"It's… wait what?"

"Sorry. That was my first attempt at doing puns. The magazine I'm reading says doing comedic skits or jokes is one of the best ice-breakers in all conversations. Though I'm having a hard time finding the right words."

"Heh… well for a first attempt, I think you were doing pretty well."

"Really?"

"But you might wanna take a class on 'Reading the mood' before you pull out any jokes. You have to pick your moments otherwise you might just end up hurting other people."

"Hmm… note taken." She joined him by the seat still smiling.

"Speaking of which. That reminds me. I never got the chance to thank you for saving me and Twilight."

"Oh please. That was nothing. I mean… the moment I saw you come out of that portal I mistook you guys as some dimensional explorers or time traveling space cops." She paused. "Not that you're bad or anything. Still… it would've been nice to have a unique encounter for once." Autumn tried to hide her embarrassment through a laugh. "So… you're waiting for your friend?"

"Yeah. She left to clear her head. I… think she might be a little mad at me."

"Ooooh, sounds serious. Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really much of a talking mood right now."

"Oh I have a thing just for that." Autumn giddily brought him a cup of liquid from out of nowhere and offered it. There was an oddly mixture of blue in the coloring which looked completely out of place in this desert. "I call it Foal's-breath tea. The herbs for it only grows at the top of this mountain. It's been a specialty of mine. One sip of this and it's guaranteed to make you all chatty. I should know, I drink it all the time." Strangely enough that would certainly explain her behavior.

He sipped. "Hey… not bad."

"I know, right!? The people in the village find it kinda minty but I certainly prefer it over all their pickled-everything." Her smile remained unmarred. "So~ wanna talk about it now? I mean… if you want. It's not like I'm pestering you because I'm absolutely bored or anything. It's just that there really isn't anything to do out here other than listening to sheep talk. And judging from what I heard from that one-sided screaming match, it must be super serious."

It doesn't look like she'll stop either.

"Well… you're not wrong about that." He admitted. "Sorry about Twilight. She's not normally this…"

"Prickly? Mean? Hyperactive?"

"Angry." Flash answered chuckling softly. "She's normally very sweet. But it looks like this fiasco we're in kinda got to her."

"Well that's no surprise. I'd be panicking out of my brains if I suddenly woke up and found myself on the other side of the world with no way of going back." That was true. And that's what Flash had been telling himself too. "If anything, I think she's taking it better than most people. But you on the other hand… you're acting way too calm for this."

"You think so too?"

"I expected something along the line of mood swings, panicking, and all that other stuff. But here you are, sitting on this bench, still as a rock. I find that pretty weird itself. What's your secret?"

The boy pondered. Why was he so calm? He should be rattled, scared out of his mind, or even hyperventilating. Heck, he remembered his first trip to Equestria after their shipwreck. He was confused at first, being a pony and all, but in the end he felt… calm.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure. I guess after everything I've went through these last few years I just have this feeling that everything will be alright. I mean I've been turned into a zombie at one point, hypnotized by evil sirens, almost sank into the bottom of the ocean. And all those times things could've turned out badly. Yet… it all worked out in the end. Maybe I just somehow know that my stories always have a happy ending." He took another sip.

"Sounds like you've been living quite the adventure."

"You can say that again."

"Sounds like you've been living quite the adventure."

He blinked but decided not to comment on that.

"Yeah… I sure am. But nothing like what Twilight and her friends go through on a daily basis." Flash looked up, his eyes becoming distant. "You should see them, battling evil creatures and magic with powers you'd only see in movies. They go through danger and come out on top almost every time. When they face a crisis, they stand stall and never flinch. They're real live heroes."

"Sounds like you admire them."

"I do!" He really did. "They're amazing. Like real live superheroes."

"Aren't you one of them?"

Flash paused chuckling softly, brushing the back of his hair. "Me? No I'm not like them. I'm just the backup who cheers on the sideline. I don't have any of their superpowers but I get to help out every now and then."

"Oooh! Like a sidekick?" Not a title he'd wear but yeah. That was pretty much the best description you can use.

"Something like that." He nodded.

"Well a good sidekick always stick by the hero's side. It's in the rules."

"Rules?"

"Sergeant Royal Foot from Space Cavalry Warriors issue #99. A space cadet will always stick by his partner's side through thick and thin! Through Solar winds and Nebula storms, we stand as one and fall as one." She placed one hand above her breast quoting perfectly. "It's one of my favorite comics. But the point is… that you always stuck by their side even though they never asked for it. Twilight might not seem like it now, but I'm sure deep down she's glad you're with her."

"She has a strange way of showing it."

"So why are you stopping now?"

The boy gave her a confused brow. "What do you mean?"

"Well from what you told me, you kept helping your friends even though they don't want it. And sometimes they even push you away. But yet despite all of that, you still help them. So why stop now? If you want to help them then do so."

_"In the world of magic, you can't afford to be soft. What if your friends over there get attack right now? What if one of them gets injured because you refuse to lift a finger? Is that what you want?"_

Adagio's words rang heavily in his head.

_"Don't let a little pain stop you from doing what you want."_

"You're right." The boy stood back up clutching his cane. "Twilight might not know it but she needs me. She needs a friend…"

"Or a sidekick." She added which made the guy laugh a little.

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight wasn't really sure what she expected to find around here. She found the portal that they came through just an hour walk from the ranch but it was badly damaged. Much of what belonged to the old Yaztec Empire had crumbled and withered from time and most of the structure seemed to have been buried under a ton of sand. If it wasn't for the few obelisks sticking out of the ground no one would think that an ancient civilization was even here.

It was a wonder why no one actually claimed this place yet. A discovery of such an ancient location would spark an excavation at the very least. But seeing how isolated this place was, she can understand why no one would want to come here at all. Heck, even the people in the village down in the valley don't seem remotely interested in such a historical sight. They have no idea of the significance of this place or the power it possess. Had they known, they would be worshipping this area with reverence.

The portal area looked remarkably similar to that of the one she had found in the mountains and the cave under the castle. From what she can gather, there must've been a structure here once upon a time that protected the portal itself but it has since decay and eroded for god knows how long.

There was a podium in front of the gateway where a Portal Stone was supposed to be. As expected, the catalyst for creating a portal was no longer there. Probably crumbled to dust or destroyed some way or another. If not then maybe it was buried amongst the sand along with what was left of the building.

"Nothing…" She reached out to the gateway expecting some kind of reaction. But it stayed silent just like everything else here. There was barely even a hint of magic lingering in the area.

And without a Portal Stone to activate the thing, the blasted gateway will remain close.

And the one they got from Castle Hoofbeard is buried under a ton of rubble. She grunted to herself, eyeing the runes curiously. Her fingers traced around the symbols trying to make sense of them all. But thanks to her cracked lens she could barely make out the shapes or designs. "Ugh! Stupid glasses! Of all the days to not bring my spare! How am I supposed to work if I can barely see anything!? I knew I should've ordered a custom job. Grrr! Why was I born with shortsightedness? Why did Shining Armor get all the jock genes while I'm stuck with this!? Stupid."

**"Blame genetics. It's a thing."**

"And why can't anything be simple? Why is it that all of my magical adventures have to come with complex puzzles, deadly monsters or both? Would it kill the universe to let me have it easy for just one moment!?"

The ruins remained silent as the shifting sand blew in her direction.

"And why can't my adventures take me somewhere nice for once!? Somewhere with no windy sands, no tree monsters out to get me, no Cyclops golem, no magical portals or anything that wants to ruin my day. Just somewhere I can sit back and relax with my friends! ARGHH!" Out of frustration and anger she threw a kick at the portal which echoed with a loud and definite clang. Her expression soured as she pulled away cursing inaudibly while clutching her foot. "Ow! Owowowowowowow!"

**"Easy now. Your temper is getting the better of you."**

"Oh yeah. Like you're any help." Twilight froze when she finally heard the voice clear as day in her head. "Wait… who said that?" She heard a chuckle, echoing from somewhere nearby. For a moment she thought that her conscience was simply getting the better of her. But now that she was alone and having a somewhat clear head, she can unmistakably hear someone speaking. "H… hello? Is someone there?"

**"…"**

Was she just talking to herself just now? Was the sand and heat finally getting to her? No that can't be right. It's barely been a day and thankfully she managed to keep herself cool and hydrated. She shouldn't be hearing things until after her mentality broke down. She wasn't even remotely hallucinating yet. At least… she didn't think so.

"I must be hearing things." Twilight said finally before returning to her investigation. "Come on Twilight. Keep it together. Otherwise Flash might start think you're crazy."

**"He's not the only one."**

"Ok ok focus." She grumbled, ignoring the whispers in her head. "Magic is just a fuel. It's the spell that converts that fuel into anything we want. If I can just replicate that spell to my geode. I could… no that won't work. The amount of magic to do that would be enormous. I'll need at least tw…" She paused as if recalling a thought. With a swift motion she dug into her pocket and pulled out the black gem bracelet. "Yes! The black gem!"

**"Oh that's just a terrible idea."**

The device hummed with magic stating that there was still some energy left in that device.

"There's still magic." She smiled giddily seeing some measure of light at the end of the tunnel. "And it's still strong. If I combine this with the power of my geode, I might be able to replicate the portal spell." Her eyes cast to the podium giving it a thought. This whole scenario was nothing more than a theory that she conjured up. She experimented with magic before but that was only when she had her lab. Now she was here doing tests that implemented a whole slew of dangers.

Normally this would be the time where her friends comes to warn her and maybe even stop her from carrying out such a dangerous test. Heck she could practically hear Sunset whining about all the little details. But none of them were here right now so it didn't matter. Throwing caution to the wind, went ahead.

**"This can't end well."**

She put on the bracelet and allowed its magic to merge with her own geode. Mixing the two different magic from two separate worlds was like putting two types of fuel in one jerry can and shaking it violently thinking that it would produce something greater. That was the idea. A bad one… but an idea no less.

With a heave she let the magic out, sending a beam of light through her palm focusing it on the gateway. It reacted in such a way that it shook the whole mountain with much of the structure glowing ominously. Twilight could feel the power, the magic. It coursed through her veins like fire and she can honestly say that she enjoyed every second of it.

But what came after made her smile. As her power merged, she saw something tear up in front of her. Like the fabric of time and space was bending to her will. It was a small one, a tiny cut just visible enough to prove her theory right.

Skyscrapers came into view. Big neon lights and roads made of concrete and asphalt, familiar landmarks that she visited once before. Even the observatory on the hill, which she remembered fondly, can be seen in the distance.

There was no doubt about it. That was Canterlot City.

"It worked! It actually worked!" Not that she had any doubt of course. But it was still cool to see it happen before her own eyes.

But just as she cheered, the universe decided to throw a curve ball in her direction. The portal suddenly began to throw sparks and its structure rattled dangerously. She tried to apply more of her powers but that only seemed to make it worse. Kind of like putting gasoline in a fire thinking it'll burn it out. More sparks began to fly and even the sand began to shiver and shake.

"That's not good."

With a deafening noise the tear closed and the backlash that came afterward sent a shockwave so strong that Twilight went flying back. She groaned painfully as the old aches from this morning surfaced. Her vision went blurry for a second before she collapsed on the sand, a purple figure appearing from the corner of her eye.

**"Well…"** It muttered disappointingly, arms folded. **"Don't say I didn't warn you."**

**(Canterlot docks) (Warehouse Area) (Sunday)**

"Thanks again for coming with me on this Sunset. I never would've made it through all that traffic in my car."

The redhead shrugged back casually as they drove up at the docks. The smell of the ocean becoming clearer the deeper they went. "Don't mention it. Always happy to help. Besides, I could use the distraction too. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie have been telling me to take a break. Looking over my phone every ten minutes has me losing sleep. And Rainbow Dash isn't helping either."

"I take it she's not taking it very well."

"She's upset. We all are. Even Pinkie Pie's looking a lot less cheerful." Not even their resident bundle of energy could escape the depression. She was still trying to smile, make everyone feel like everything would be fine. But you could tell that her smile was becoming strained and her bouncing movement becoming less… bouncy.

"I suppose even she can show her worries one way or another." Rarity let out a soft sigh. She too had been doing the same, trying to reassure everyone that everything will be right as rain. But it wasn't working. Not while Twilight hasn't called. "Not that I'm any different. I keep telling myself that it will all be fine but… I really do hope that Twilight and Flash are alright."

"Same here." Sunset nodded finally turning a corner and pulling a stop to a rather creepy looking underground parking lot. "Uh… speaking of which. Are you sure this is the right place? This doesn't look like the kind of place snazzy people would meet up."

"This is the right address." Rarity checked her phone again matching it with the address before exiting the car. "Warehouse 18 car park. And just so you know, I take it as an insult to be called 'Snazzy'. We prefer to be called aspiring artiste."

"Sure you do."

"It's a big difference darling. You must separate the true pioneers from the rest. But I must admit that this wasn't what I expected for a meeting with Vignette." She was expecting glamorous lighting, decorated walls or at the very least a red carpet. Something that displayed style, art, imagination and wealth! This warehouse seemed to have been buried deep within alleys upon alleys. There was a stench of fish in the area, probably because of the cannery nearby. The parking lot was so deep down that you can hardly make out the sunlight at all. If she had to describe it, this looked more like a place where rich people come to get robbed or… worse.

It would certainly make an awesome origin story for a caped crusader though. But good luck getting something like that to happen in a Rated TV-Y series.

"Rarity! There you are!" Vignette's loud bombastic voice chimed, startling the two from the doorway, a smile on her lips. "You're rather early. I wasn't expecting you until noon. Welcome!" She turned over to the redhead beside her. "And you brought a friend too."

"Yes." Rarity welcomed the gesture. "I thought that being punctual would help. And naturally you remember Sunset."

"Of course I do. You're one of the girls I zapped into my phone in Equestria Land." The two girls froze at the comment while Vignette passed that comment around like it was a used up toilet paper. "Fun times." They wouldn't necessarily call it fun either.

"Uh… yeah." Sunset rubbed her head sideway eyeing Rarity who shrugged. "That happened…"

"Anyway welcome! The more the merrier I always say. We've been looking forward to meeting you."

"You have?" The purple haired fashionista asked.

"Why of course! Everyone wants your opinion on their designs. After Hoity gave you such high praise, your input will be key." Aww shucks. Rarity lifted her head proudly at such a comment. She always did adore people who clung to her every word. It was something of a dream of hers to have folks beg for her opinion.

"Why thank you. And the place you picked is just umm…"

"Admirable, isn't it?" Not the word she'd use but sure… whatever. "Come along now. We're all just dying to see you."

xxxxxxxxxx

Sunset breathed a short sigh of relief when they entered the warehouse which looked surprisingly better than the outside. It still look like a place where dreams go to die, but at the very least it didn't have that back alley smell or that haunting disgusting look of trash everywhere. Those brought back some old memories when she first came to this world.

Vignette led them through the place, throwing gestures to the folks in the warehouse who busied themselves in their work. She recognized a few faces from the pageant show. A few of them were winners of the last round. And while Sunset couldn't really understand a single word Vignette was throwing around, her friend seemed to be giggling and blushing, taking them like they were compliments.

However… as they delve further into the warehouse, Sunset couldn't help but feel a chill crawling at the back of her neck. She won't say that she had a sixth sense or anything but something in her gut was telling her that something bad was going on and she should grab her friend and bolt to the door right now and don't look back.

"I know what you're thinking." Vignette stated. "You're wondering why I rented this damp decrepit place away from the city and not some studio in Midtown."

She wasn't thinking that, but it was certainly close enough. "Uh… well…"

"For the ambience!" The fashionista declared raising her hands to the roof. "For the sights, the sound, the smell! All of it. Honestly the same appearance of the city has begun to stale. It's always the same old styles. Fringes, collars, sleeves and colorful skirts that goes with your blouse. Same old same old. That's why my colleagues and I decided to have a little change of pace. A news perspective on life. And what better than the complete opposite of what we've always had?"

"That uh… sounds… great?" Sunset managed to say. "But actually we're just here for the guest list for Hoity's pageant show."

"Oh right." The lady nodded dumbly before handing them a list. "I had it printed out. You'd be amazed just how many celebrities are coming. Honestly, his connections alone is respectable." They reached for it just to have whiffed away from their grasp, her finger waggling at them. "Ah ah… a deal's a deal. You'll have to model for me first if you want this."

Rarity shrugged. "Well I suppose I did promise to help."

"Exactly! Magnifique. Oh and before we continue. I'd like you both to see my lineup for Hoity's show." She clapped her hands signaling some of the workers to move the curtains up. "Tada! What do you think?"

…

What does she think? What did any of them think?

Is this really what pass as clothes in the human world? No offense to Rarity or the other designers here but she wouldn't wear those things even if they were the last shred of fabric in the whole wide universe.

I mean… where would she even begin? It was nice to look at, sure. But would anyone really wear this in public? She could probably picture Fluttershy in one of those dark getups during one of her Skull Cruncher moods but that was an extremely rare occasions. These things looked more like ritual outfits. With the amount of leather she was using and black coloring, you'd think she was starting a cult of some kind. There were so many buttons and belts that once you put it on, there was no getting it off.

"It's gorgeous!" Rarity cheered though her expression held a mixture of confusion at the same time. "You really outdid yourself this time Vignette. You really got the uh… leather… right."

"I was going for deep, dark, depression." I dunno about deep but she certainly had the dark and depressing thing down. "And of course I saved the best for last." Does it have more belts than the other designs? "Whola! My Pièce de résistance. The Queen of the Shadows." Yup, she got it right.

That dress had the darkness feeling to it. With the amount of belts and dark toned wings anyone wearing it would be worthy of the title.

"And I want you Rarity, to try it out?"

"Me?" Her purple haired friend choked.

"Absolutely. I was designing this with you in mind. You have that domineering personality, the drive and the desire. When you wear this, I can see you stomping upon the rest of humanity like they were bugs."

"Oh w… well I wouldn't say that they were bugs."

"Oh don't be so humble. A queen is never humble." Vignette spoke like she was trying to elevate her to godhood. "When you stand at the top, all will bow before you. You will become a person everyone aspires to be."

Rarity blinked, her voice shallow. "R… really?"

"The crowd before you will chant your name, you will be the envy of everyone."

"I do love people envying me." Of course you do.

"When you walk down that aisle, your competitors will turn green with envy, your fans will adore you." Oh she's good. She was playing on Rarity's weakness. Her hubris and desire for fame. Sunset couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You Rarity will be lady of the hour. All eyes will be on you."

"I'll do it! EEEEEeeep!" The girl couldn't grab that dress fast enough and enter the nearest dressing room.

Satisfied, Vignette turned over to her with snake-like eyes. "And as for you, sweetie."

"Me?" Sunset pointed dumbly to herself. "What about me?"

"Would you care to sample one of our work? It would certainly provide some good data if you modeled for us."

She brushed her hands quickly in decline. "N… no thanks. I'm not really into modeling. Besides, I don't have that grace."

"Nonsense sweetie." Vignette paced around her, scanning the little redhead like a prey. "You have an excellent figure." I do? "Those curves, those eyes and that fiery hair. Why if I didn't know better, I think the boys would be falling for you just by looking at you. I bet you're popular in school."

Sunset twiddled her hair shyly. "I wouldn't say popular."

"But you are beautiful." She snapped her fingers calling her muscles to bring forth a mirror. With a quick and forceful hands she brought Sunset towards it. "Look at you. I can already picture your face on the big screen. Give showbiz a chance and you might be staring on your very own movie." Her own movie? That seemed a bit farfetched. Sunset was having trouble just putting together an act for the school play.

"You… think so?"

"I know so." The fashion star nodded cooing softly into her ears. "You have such a fine figure, it's such a waste not to put it to good use. But perhaps the reason why you're not so confident is because of your… fashion."

Sunset looked down. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Well for one thing, it screams old school. Whoever taught you your designs was clearly out of his mind." Well to be completely honest, these clothes weren't hers. They were Rainbows'. She merely picked those that resembled her old style. As a matter of fact… if she was to be honest, her whole fashion sense was merely copied to the first boy she met around here – a long time ago. "Why don't we change that?"

"Change?"

"Yes. Try on one of our designs here. Anyone of them." She offered, gesturing to a large array of clothes in the warehouse and their creators who were more than happy to help. "Trust me. Put them on and you'll feel like a whole different person. Have a new you."

It was tempting. And honestly she did enjoy a few of Rarity's designs on a few occasions. Perhaps a new look for her might do her some good.

_"Always first place, never second best."_

_"Only high stakes, we aim to impress."_

Her phone rang, interrupting the moment.

"Uh… maybe next time. I uh… need to answer this." Sunset quickly pulled herself away from the woman and made a quick dash off to a corner, not noticing the woman's annoyed snarl.

…

Phew… that was close. What was that about? Vignette was acting pretty weird and… rather touchy too.

Fashion designers really are weird in their own special ways.

Gathering her mind, she turned over to her phone not recognizing the number on screen. Great. If this was another one of those infomercials she'd look silly.

"Hello?"

_"Sunset Shimmer?"_

The girl's eyes widened. "Vice-Principal Luna? How'd you get my number?"

_"School records."_ She answered boringly. _"But never mind that. I'm glad that you answered. I was hoping to get in touch with you on another matter. Can you speak right now?"_

"Uh… sure. I guess. Is something wrong?"

_"It involves a friend of yours, Flash Sentry."_ The girl's feet rooted to the floor as the color drained from her face. _"I'm calling under the request of his father. He claims that Flash hasn't returned home for two days now and has left no message. Seeing as you two have history, I thought you might know his whereabouts."_ They had history. Just… not the right kind of history.

"Flash? Well… no actually." And surprisingly enough that wasn't a lie. She really had no idea where he was at all. Only that he was with Twilight.

_"O… k?"_ Luna didn't seem to buy that excuse. _"Where did you see him last?"_

"At the umm… somewhere." What was she to say? That Flash had been buried under a castle or that he was involved with another one of their magical hijinks.

_"Sunset…" _The Vice-Principal gave a tone close to that of a warning. _"What's going on? Did you do something again?"_

"Wha? No. Pfft. What makes you think that?"

_"Because I've learned your tell since the Fall Formal."_ Even though Sunset couldn't see her, she can tell that the woman was holding her nose grunting lowly. _"This wouldn't happen to involve the castle that sunk into the ocean the other day, would it?"_ Holy cow, she really is sharp. _"Sunset. I am going to ask this once. Where… is Flash?"_

There was no escaping it. That woman had her number… quite literally in fact.

"It's a long story." One that many wouldn't believe. But just as she spoke, she brushed pass one of the fashion designers grazing his arm. "Oh sorry."

What the…?

_"Well you'd better tell me now, otherwise things might get complicated. Flash's father is worried about him and I'm afraid he might do something drastic if he's not found soon."_

Wait a second. That can't be right.

Sunset blinked as the voice on her phone died down on her. She turned to the man she brushed against earlier noting his attire. It was very similar to that of Vignette but with less belts. But that wasn't what had her alarms going off. It was only for a moment but she was sure that she read his mind just now. Her power activated subconsciously, sending a torrent of emotions through her mind. There was a strange sense of anger and resentment building inside of him along with a whole mess of emotions. And strangely enough it was all directed at her and Rarity.

For a second there she thought that it was just a misunderstanding. But she suddenly bumped on another worker – and this time it was even stronger.

So many emotions. All of them negative. Anger and resentment… but also… fear?

It was too much for her head to handle.

_"Sunset? Hello? Are you there?"_

"Sorry Vice-Principal Luna. I'll have to call you back." She could practically hear her curse even when the line was already cut. The girl quickly made her way back to the changing room thankfully finding her friend behind closed curtains. "Hey Rarity. You in there?"

"Just a minute darling. This dress Vignette gave me really has some intricate workings. She really put a lot of effort in this thing and I don't want to mess it up."

"Never mind that. Have you noticed something strange about this place?"

"If by strange, you mean the amount of buckles I have to go through to put this on, then yes."

"Not that." She scolded through the curtains. "I just tapped some of the other designers and read their minds just now, and something is seriously wrong. It's like… they're all anxious, angry and frustrated and afraid at the same time."

"Honestly now Sunset. You can't possibly think these good people are in cahoots with Hoity. You're starting to sound quite loony even for me."

"It's not just that." Sunset exclaimed quietly, taking a quick glance to the others nearby who busied themselves with their work. "I just have a feeling. Everyone here seems to be on edge. It's like something could happen at any second."

"They're probably just stressed, darling." Rarity reasoned. "This fashion show is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The promise of fame and fortune has them riled up. I, myself, was once in their shoes. The pressure of it all was daunting. They're putting everything they have in this event so I can understand if they're feeling a bit… prickly."

"That's not how Vignette shows it. And have you noticed that everyone here is wearing the same outfit as her? Everything leather, with more belts and buttons than I could count. I'm not really into fashion but even I find this a little… creepy."

"It's called a 'trend'. I'm sure Hoity's show calls for such in another one of his challenging displays. Vignette and the others here are merely following it up. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical reason for all of this." The fashionista poked her head out of the curtains eyeing her friend. "So will you please calm down? We're safe Sunset. Evil magic doesn't just run rampant in this world and I doubt Hoity would try anything here. He wouldn't dare try to jeopardize his own pageant show."

She… had a point there. The world of fashion was alien to her and it could just be her paranoia whispering in the back of her mind. Perhaps the stress of battle against Hoity lingered. After all, there were too many witnesses here. Even if a shadow monster would appear, it was the middle of the day. It'd be crazy for that man to make such a move.

"You're… probably right." Sunset admitted. "I'm probably just stressing out over nothing. I shouldn't let it get over my head."

"I completely agree. And~ speaking of which." Rarity then pulled the curtains revealing herself for all to bask in her splendor. "Tada! How do I look? Be honest dear. I need all comments to be as referral as possible."

Sunset scanned her and was… somewhat impressed. It was definitely different to what Rarity wore every day. Instead of the usual glamor, grace and all things gem, she now sported a seductive dress that was a blend between a vampire queen and a dominatrix. Give her a crop and a puffy pillowed throne and her image would be complete. She can practically see her putting those stilettos to good use stepping on some (un)lucky soul digging those hills deeper than it had any right to be.

"Wow Rarity. You look umm… good?"

"I know!" She replied with a wide smile. "I was against it at first seeing how tight it was. But after putting it on I'm starting to see Vignette's point of view. She might actually be onto something. I don't only look good, but it feels good to be in. I don't think I ever want to take it off." That doesn't sound sanitary. "I'm seeing everything in a whole new light."

"Are you sure that's not just your suit suffocating you?" Honestly, nothing there looked pleasurable at all. You can practically see the leather cutting into her skin. "That doesn't look… comfortable."

"It's not meant to be comfortable darling. It's meant to be fashionable. Though I do admit that it does eat away at me, but something about it makes me feel… good on the inside. Perhaps you should try one and see for yourself."

Sunset raised her hand up in decline. "No thanks. I'm not really into fashion like you."

"Oh come now. Have a little change in your wardrobe. Remember the dress I made for you for the Winter Holiday Party?" Does she remember? She remember looking hot in it. The number of looks and praises she got from the gang and her friends was proof of her ratings. "Remember how everyone kept eyeing you?"

"Yeah…" She rolled her eyes admittedly.

"Then you should try out something new. Look around you Sunset. Every fabric you see here has been tailored made by professionals from all over Canterlot. These are the clothes that will be put on display for the whole world to see. Everyone will be vying for them. And now we have the honor of wearing them first."

"Well… when you put it that way. I suppose that does make them somewhat appealing. But I think I'll stick to my old style for now."

"Suit yourself. As for me. I am going to… to… to… oh…"

Sunset raised a curious brow seeing her friend looking rather weak all of a sudden. "You ok?"

"Oh my. I'm terribly sorry. I suddenly feel rather… lightheaded for some reason." She reached for her hair, brushing that strange sense tingling in her body.

"Are you sure the dress isn't cutting the circulation into your head or anything?"

"No no. It's probably just exhaustion. I'm better now." Rarity let out a weird smile. "Come. Vignette says that the moment I strut through that runway, the guest list is all ours."

**(Autumn's ranch)**

Twilight stirred from her makeshift bed feeling rather sore. Her body ached everywhere and the straw pillow she laid on only seemed to make it worse.

**"How long do you intend to sleep?"**

Bwah? The voice jolted her brain bringing her up from her covers. Her sudden movement and gasping startled the nearby sheep prompting them to move out of the way.

She looked around and recalled this unfamiliar surroundings. "Where am I?"

**"Back in that crazy lady's barn. I think the sheep gave it away."**

Yeah that made sense. "What happened?"

**"Let's just say the stunt you pulled didn't exactly go as planned. You got magical backlash and you got knocked out."** That would certainly explain the pain on her body and the aches on her arm. **"I mean honestly. What in the world were you thinking? Mixing two different types of magic together? You've studied magic long enough to know that making that kind of mixture is dangerous. You're lucky you got away with all your fingers."**

"It sounded like a good idea at the time." Twilight grunted though she didn't disagree. She knew that mixing Equestrian magic with magic from this world would have a volatile reaction. But it worked in the end. "How long was I out?"

**"Long enough. That boy was panicking ever since he brought you back."** Of course Flash would be.

"Guess I should thank him." But then Twilight realized something when she finally opened her eyes. She cast a glance to her surroundings noticing that there were only sheep sleeping beside her. "Wait… who am I talking to?"

**"You still haven't figured that out yet?"** The voice mocked her. **"And here I thought you were the smart one."**

Twilight looked around but still saw no one. Was it just a voice inside her head? Was she going mad?

**"You're not going crazy."** Gah! Now that voice was reading her mind too!

"Who are you? What are you?"

**"You really don't remember me?"** She whispered dejectedly. **"Then maybe this will jolt your memories."**

And in that moment a figure suddenly manifested itself. It was her… but also not her at the same time. Dark wings manifested itself as a seductive version of Twilight flew down, eyes brimming with power and a suggestive smile that seemed to tease its victim.

**"Hello Twilight."** It spoke tauntingly. **"Did you miss me?"**

"Midnight Sparkle!?"


	39. The Two Sides of Evil

**Chapter 39: The Two Sides of Evil**

"Midnight Sparkle?" The said woman enjoyed the expression on the face of her host, reveling every second of her fear. It wasn't every day you get to scare someone out of bed like the boogeyman, and this was her shot at it. "No… it can't be. You're supposed to be gone. Defeated! You're…"

**"Still here and still alive."** The dark angel laughed manically, her body hovering a few feet off the ground. **"I told you I'd be back one day. You might've banished me to the deepest corners of your mind. But I am a part of…"** Her speech was rudely interrupted by a stick flying pass her. **"H… hey! Stop that! I'm in the middle of my monologue!"**

"Get… back! Get back!" Twilight threatened as she grabbed a few objects around her and began tossing them at her. "I'm warning you! I have a bucket and I'm not afraid to use it!"

**"Hey!"** Midnight cursed as the said bucket came, going through her body like a ghost. **"Do you know how hard I've worked on this!? I've spent all this time crafting my perfect return dialogue! The least you could do is listen." **Another stick followed making her groan. **"Quit it!"**

"Go back to the darkness from whence you came!"

**"Darkness? What is this? A fantasy action movie?"**

"I've banished you before and I can do it again!"

**"Oh for the love of…"** A wooly creature came next and again it simply flew through her. **"What the? Did you just throw a sheep at me?"**

"Begone foul villain! Your days are numbered!"

**"Will you just stop and listen for one second!?"**

"NEVER! Begone spirit! I banish thee back from whence thee came!"

**"It's 'Thy' came. And I'm not a ghost."**

"Your work is done! Pass on freely!"

Midnight sighed and made a show of crossing her arms and just hovering there, her chin resting on one hand. The fallen angel looked relatively bored.

This whole thing went on for a full minute with Twilight continuously throwing everything and anything she could get her hands on, shouting mantras and holy verses from various religious texts which probably existed at one point or another. She finally stopped when she ran out of stuff to throw. Either that or she was just too exhausted to do anything else. Her lack of breath suggested the latter.

**"Are you done? Did you finally get all that out of your system?"**

Twilight raised one finger asking for a moment of reprieve which she granted. "Just… give me… a second… to catch… my breath."

The floating lady rolled her eyes boringly. **"You want something to drink?"**

"No, I'm good. Thank you." She blinked back before returning to her usual demeanor. "No wait a minute! How are you here!? Why are you here!? You're supposed to be gone!"

**"I am never truly gone!"** She swung her hand forward getting back into character. **"I am always here at the deepest darkest corners of your mind! And… and… wait. Didn't I say that already?"** The angel pulled out some flash cards from her back. **"Hang on. I think I have it here somewhere. No… wait. These are out of order."** There was some mumbling, grumbling and fumbling before finally throwing her arms in frustration. **"Arghh! Forget it. The moment's gone. It's gone!"** Her body slumped. **"I had a whole script written in my head. The perfect dramatic effect! Now it's all ruined. Thanks to you. Stupid Twilight."**

The girl stood accused. "Umm… I'm… sorry?"

**"Well you should be!"** She scolded. **"I've spent the last few years rehearsing those lines and perfecting my voice to match the whole event. I pictured it to be magnificent, gaudy and glamorous! My glorious return to the world! It was supposed to be awesome. Brimstone and fire, eternal night, phenomenal cosmic power at my finger tips and mortals trembling at my feet!"**

*Beeh~~!* If the sheep in the pen could speak, they'd all tell the both of them to pipe down.

**"And instead I get… this?"** She gestured to the barn. **"Not exactly what I had in mind."**

"Well in my defense: You were the one who decided to come out. And… wait… did you say you've been planning this for years? Why?"

The floating girl shrugged. **"Well, I played chess with myself 1981 times and won 1981 times, played old maid and counted the number of times you blinked every single day. After that it was pretty much just plotting my return. I mean… what else was I supposed to do trapped inside the mind of a teenage girl? Not exactly a lot of interesting things going on with your dull life. Other than watching you make a fool of yourself in school. Those are entertaining."**

"That's just sad."

**"Oooh~~~ And this is coming from a girl who rehearses her Nobel Prize acceptance speech in front of the mirror 120 times?"**

"Hey! That's private." Twilight's face froze. "Wait… does that mean you've been with me the whole time? Watching?"

**"Every literal step of the way."**

"Even when… at home?" Her face turned pale.

**"Yup."** Midnight grinned. **"Even when you sing solo to Dirk Thistleweed when no one's looking. Which, by the way, you can't do. Low tones are just not for you, girl."**

"NOOOO!"

**"Oh relax. You actually look cute when you sing." **

"Enough!" Twilight snapped back silencing the room. Though the sheep hardly bothered anymore. She pointed her finger at the dark angel, summoning the power from her geode readying to pony-up if she had to. "It's time to send you back where you belong! You are not taking over my body. I'm a lot more powerful than I was before. So if you wanna to take my magic, then you'll have to fight for it."

The smile on the sorceress hardly move if at all. She looked amused. **"Oh please. Don't be so dramatic. You're starting to make those stupid cartoons actually sound smart. If I had the power to take over your body, don't you think I would've done so already?"**

She was right of course. If she could've taken over her body all along, they wouldn't be having this conversation at all. Heck she could've done so when she slept.

And as a person of logic and reason, Twilight allowed her guard to drop for a bit. "So… you're not here to take over my body?"

**"Oh no. That's still the end game."** She admitted oh so plainly which made her host flinch. **"I'm just not doing it right now."**

"So why are you here? More importantly… why did you show up now?"

Midnight took a glance at her fingernails before she replied. **"Not a clue. The moment you stepped out of that portal, I felt a surge of magic. It flowed into me and it gave me enough power to manifest myself in your head. And now I'm free… sort of. I'm still tethered to your mind though. _Regretfully_."** She grumbled that last part. **"And as for your first question: I came to tell you that you… are an idiot."**

"Excuse me!?"

**"You nearly blasted yourself with that stunt you pulled by the gateway. Mixing two magic together? That's like smashing atoms at the speed of light expecting it NOT to go ballistic upon impact! You're lucky all you got out of that was a few bumps and bruises. Even I'm not that stupid."**

"Well what do you think I should've done?" Twilight countered. "Opening a portal of that magnitude requires a lot of magic. The bracelet was pretty much drained from using it the first time. And the only way I can get that amount of power is by drawing from two different sources. By expanding the whole pool, I could triple the amount of power I could generate. It was a good idea at the time."

**"A good way to lose an arm or a leg."**

"And you'd know better?"

Midnight laughed. **"Honey, I once tore a rift to Equestria with barely any effort. Opening a portal to a place half way across the world is child's play." **That was also true. **"Come on now. If an old shaman from the past can open a portal with just the bracelet, you should be able to do it too. I expect my host to do better."**

Twilight raised the black gem still attached to her wrist. "It's not like this thing ever came with an instruction manual."

**"That's no excuse for blowing yourself up. Come on Twilight. You're smarter than this. Instead of doing trial and error methods, why don't you use that head of yours?"**

"I am!"

**"Really? Because it looks more like you're just going with your gut. And we all know how that ended." **She flew in closer, tapping one invisible finger on her nose. **"You of all people should know that the best answers are the ones you can't see…"**

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The dark angel laughed. **"You're a smart girl. I'm sure you'll figure it out."**

Before Twilight could ask more, another voice interrupted smashing the door open. "Twilight?"

"Fla-" A strong pair of arms wrapped around her cutting her mid-word and raising her up.

"Oh thank goodness. You had me worried for a minute there!" The boy breathed what sounded like the longest and heaviest sigh of relief he ever made as his hands squeezed tightly around her not willing to let go. But thankfully he did so bringing her face close to his. "Are you ok? Do you feel lightheaded? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine!" She pulled herself out of his grip, gasping. "Mostly, anyway. But Flash, you can't be here."

"Why not?"

"Because she's here!" She pointed to Midnight who smiled sweetly at her. Flash turned in her direction but shrugged.

"Who is?"

"Midnight Sparkle. She's…"

The dark angel stuck out her tongue, muttering something akin to an insult. **"Part of _your_ mind, remember?" **Flicking dirt off her shoulder, she decided to vanish.

Flash looked around but saw no one. Other than the sheep who were giving him the stink eye for making a racket. "That hit must've knocked a few screws loose. Come on. Lie down and get some rest." He gently pulled her down with little resistance. "The next time you try experimenting on your magic, don't do it alone."

"I'll keep that in mind. But I had to try." She replied weakly, rubbing the side of her head which she found to be aching.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that whatever it is you tried up there might've actually worked."

Her eyes cast over him, confused. "It did?"

"Yeah. Right before that explosion, I got this." Flash pulled out his phone which the point seemed to be lost on her.

"You… got a text message?"

"I got over 50 text messages." He exclaimed with a sigh rubbing one hand down his face. "Look. All of them were sent yesterday or the day before that, but they came to my phone today. I don't know what you did. But for a few seconds there… I got a cell reception."

Her eyes widened in realization which she responded by pulling out her own phone. And as luck would have it there were more than 30 text messages left unread, all of them came from her friends on the other side. And a few dozen more from Timber.

"We got cell reception." She turned to the boy, a smile slowly crossing her face. "Flash. Do you know what this means? We can send a message to our friends!"

"I know, right!?" His face was equally ecstatic as hers. "I knew you could do it."

"Was there any doubt?" Twilight smugly replied. "Come on. We need to redo the process. We can… ugh…" But her body went limp the moment she rose, falling right onto the boy.

"Whoa. Easy now." Flash winced as the ache on his leg resurfaced. "You shouldn't be moving after what you went through."

"But… the portal."

"It'll still be there tomorrow." Gently he placed her back on the hay bale, tucking her in with one hand behind her head. "We can work on the details then. For now, just get some rest."

"But… the others."

"I'm sure they're safe wherever they are."

**(Canterlot) (Warehouse docks)**

Sunset watched as the so-called rehearsal party played through. It was a rather clever little thing. The workers here put a bunch of crates, unused cardboard boxes and leftover planks, put on a few light-bulbs as spotters and draped the whole thing with a pretty looking carpet, creating a perfect imitation of a pageant show runway. They even had music playing in the background performed by an actual DJ. It wasn't DJ Pon-3 but the guy had some skills on the board. To think they'd have all of this put on in such short notice and in a warehouse in the docks no less. You wouldn't possibly believe that such an event was taking place in the back alleys of the city. She saw Rarity heading to the 'backstage' preparing to strut over at the beginning of the music.

But sadly, that strange ominous feeling she had a while ago didn't subside. In fact, it might've gotten even stronger. Every cell in her body was warning her of danger but nothing ever happened. People here went on about their business and barely even gave her a passing glance. A few of the designers opted to let her try out one of their outfits but she declined them.

Sunset quickly brushed it off thinking that it was just some leftover adrenaline from the fight with Hoity. That battle under the castle really shook her to the core. It must be messing with her systems somehow. She decided to just leave it be and hopefully things will get back to normal.

Well… as normal as things can get around here.

Vice Principal Luna hasn't called back either. And not that she'd want to answer it. She wouldn't even know how to explain the whole thing to her.

_'Oh hey Mr. Sombra. Your son may or may not be trapped under a ton of rubble along with our friend after fighting a giant multi-headed shadow monster. But don't worry. They're totally safe… maybe… probably… hopefully.'_

Yeah. No thanks. She'd rather face a horde of Timberwolves in Equestria.

"Very impressive." Someone spoke up to her. "You wouldn't think something as classy as this would be held in such a decrepit place."

"You can say that again." She answered, noting his familiar face. "You're… Trenderhoof, aren't you?"

The blonde boy nodded, flashing a practiced smile. "The one and only. But please, call me Trend. Everybody does."

"Right…" Sunset blinked. "Wait… weren't you eliminated from the pageant show? You were kicked out on the first round. I saw you."

His face turned sour. "Yes. That was quite a blow to my brand and my ego. But thankfully I can still play a role and have my face on the show at the very least."

"Really? How?"

"I signed up as a model for Vignette. With the lack of people modeling, they need all the hands they can get. She said that I have just the right build for this suit she designed." Was it worthy to be called a suit though? It looked more like a bunch of belts tied together just to make the shape of a shirt. You can still see parts of his skin suffocating out of the smaller areas. "In fact, almost everyone modeling here are those who resigned and eliminated from the show."

"Really? All of you?"

"Yup. Every last one." He nodded plainly. "I'll admit that I wasn't into the whole leather thing at first. I'm more of a soft-cotton man myself. But I'm actually feeling quite comfortable in these. Why… just moving in them makes me feel lightheaded."

Him too? Strange. Rarity said the same thing earlier.

"Will all the models please ready themselves backstage?" Vignette called out. "There's only so much time in the day and we don't want to waste a single minute of it. Je veux que tout soit parfait."

"That's my cue." Trenderhoof nodded and gladly skipped his way on the so-called backstage along with Rarity.

"Break a leg." She gave the boy a cute tap on the shoulder and again her powers activated. It was strange. Almost like her magic was going haywire. But what she felt that moment was strange in its own way. There was a mysterious emotion coming from Trenderhoof. Like a mixture of anger and violence. She couldn't see what was going in his mind but the torrent of emotions was enough to get her worried. "Ok… something is seriously off here." And no she was not referring to the odd fashion sense around here, even though that warranted attention on its own.

Slowly and quietly the former unicorn snuck away from the crowd just as the music picked up.

She made her way to the dressing area where many of the designers' best attire were put on mannequins. It would appear that everyone had gathered at the runway for the main event and left everything unattended. She turned over to the dresses, looking at them with part confusion and part disgust. Like everything else around here, they were all made out of leather, painted black, and with more buttons and belt buckles than actual fabric. It was as if everyone was trying to copy one another. Sure they might have different appearances in the slightest margin but even that didn't change the fact that they were still all the same.

"Something about these clothes seems a bit off." Sunset couldn't really tell why other than their mysterious appearance naturally. There was no way in Tartarus she was gonna wear something like that, fashion or no fashion.

But just as she approached, she began to feel something faint hidden deep within the leather.

It wasn't apparent until she got really close but it was definitely familiar.

"There's magic in these…" Her finger tapped on the leather… and then everything faded black.

…

Sunset looked around finding herself in darkness. It was as if a black hole swallowed her up leaving her in perpetual night. Yet strangely enough she wasn't afraid. That strange feeling just now was definitely Yaztec Magic. The same kind of magic that has been going around the city lately. There was no doubt about it.

But why would Yaztec Magic be infused with the clothes here? She recalls that the royal guard back in Equestria imbue their armors with magical enchantment to improve their protection and enhance their strengths. Even a few unicorns wear clothes adorned with some semblance of magical powers, but those are mostly for appearances. Even Starswirl wears such clothes to improve on his powers.

**"Intruder? In our domain?"** Suddenly a familiar sickening voice echoed behind her. Sunset turned back and noted a pair of eyes watching her from the ground. It rose up, forming a head from the shadows, before another came forward.

**"It is the one who brought our master such pain."** A second voice chimed.

**"A blot, a blight, a mess, a stain!"**

It was Kaaz the Cruel. All three of her heads staring down at her, snake like heads rising and fangs pointing at her.

"Help!" A cry came out bringing Sunset out of her shock. She looked down at where the long heads were poking and found its massive body. But what made her cringe in horror were the faces protruding from it. Terrified expressions of different people gasped as they very slowly sunk into the massive blob. They were all crying out, pleading for help as their arms struggled to pull them free.

Sunset took a step back returning her gaze to the monster's heads before they lounge at her.

…

Her hand shoot away along with the rest of her body. She let out a wide gasp, holding her fingers for a moment before bolting off back to the catwalk.

xxxxxxxxxx

Rarity felt giddy. It wouldn't be the first time she had to prance through a runway but these brief moments before the main show always manages to excite her. She enjoyed it. The strutting, the applause, the amazement of the crowd. They were all intoxicating for her.

"Alright. Places people." The manager backstage announced. "First group, enter after the lightshow starts. Second group will follow after. Third and fourth when the red light turns on. Remember: Strut, strut, strut, pose, turn, strut and hold. No mistakes now. Remember, there's enough room for the catwalk for everyone. So no pushing. Once you reached your placements, you have to hold that position for about 20 seconds."

Oh honey, please. This isn't my first rodeo. Do you know how many catwalks I've done? Those planes in the airport couldn't even match me.

"Ok. We're starting in three… two…"

Right. Posture Rarity. This is your moment. Time to show the amateurs what a real designer can do on stage.

She was last in the fourth group so there was still some time before she had to move.

But just as the light dimmed in the area, a pair of hands grabbed her, one covering her mouth. It pulled her into the changing closet as she muffled a scream.

"Shhh!" Sunset's face finally came into view calming the girl down as one finger pressed against her lips.

"Sunset!" She raised her voice just barely above a whisper. "What in the world are you doing?"

"No time to explain. You need to take those clothes off. Now."

What?

"What!?"

"Do it!"

"I will most certainly not. These are designed by Vignette. Removing them now would be a direct insult. And I will definitely not be streaking like some lunatic."

Sunset sighed but understood her situation. She quickly reached out grabbing one of the clothes that the models left behind. "Fine. Put these on."

"What? These things?" Her expression contorted with disgust. "The shirt is too large, and those pants are a social disaster waiting to happen. These colors don't even match."

"Will you just change!?"

"Sunset! You are starting to unnerve me. What in the world is going on with you?"

"I'll explain later. Right now you have to trust me and change out of those, right now!"

"Alright alright. I'll change. But be warned, I am making a sacrifice here."

"I'll be sure to take note. Now hurry!"

"Hang on. There are a lot of belts and buckles on this…" It took her a full 2 minutes to finally get it off and done her new attire. "Ugh… I really hope no one sees me in this."

"Come on! We don't have time!"

"Sunset! Will you please explain to me what in the world is going on? And why are we sneaking?"

"I'll explain everything once we're safely away from here."

But just as the two of them were making their way to the back door, Vignette's voice boomed over the speakers. "Excellent work everyone. Bravo. Bravo indeed. You all look splendid. Keep this up and a few of you might actually work as a professional model instead." The crowd giggled softly. "We'll do one more rehearsal without the music. But on the side note, there's one last gig that we all want you to do."

Sunset paused and quickly hid behind a pile of clothes, watching the whole thing go down.

"Now. Once you've all assembled, you must all raise one hand to the sky and shout out this phrase." Vignette said with a knowing grin. "Won em ekat zaak." The confused look on their faces were seen. "It's a new catchphrase that Hoity's working on. Think of it as a new brand slogan. Go on, raise your hands and say it loud!"

No one seemed to understand it but they complied nonetheless.

"I should be on that stage."

"Rarity, shush!"

One by one, those on the catwalk slowly raise their hands up. And in one jubilant voice they shouted.

"Won em ekat zaak!"

"Again!" Vignette repeated.

"Won em ekat zaak!"

"Again!"

"Won em ekat zaak!"

"One more for good measure."

"Won em ekat zaak arghhh!" And then like clockwork, the models on stage fell in agony. Their pained expression illuminated for all to see. Their clothes stretched out as if the leather itself came to life, black tendrils sprung forth before digging into their bodies, poisoning their very bodies. They shouted and screamed but it was all deafened by the music that boomed in the background.

"My… word…" Rarity gasped, one hand over mouth. "What's… happening to them?"

"Remember that bad feeling I had earlier?" Sunset said with dread. "Well… let's just say I was right." They paused and listen as Vignette stepped forward, admiring the agony of her victims. It seemed like a strange sight as the other designers and workers didn't seem to care one bit on what was happening.

"Good work everyone. That was eXcELlenT. noW rIsE." Through her strangely exaggerated words the models who were screaming earlier rose back up, their eyes blank, snot and drool coming out of their faces. "Very good. hOiTy will be moST plEaSed. NexT week's show wiLL reAlly be something. NoW all WE hAVe to do is…" Her good mood suddenly faded when she realized one spot remained empty on the catwalk. "WHeRe iS nUmBEr 14?" She turned to her minions. "wHErE Is RARITY!? AnD whERE is thaT REdheAd SUNsEt!?"

"She… disappeared before we could grab her." One of the burly men whimpered.

Vignette's eyes turned dark. "WELL FIND HER! Find them NOW!"

"We need to go. Now."

Rarity couldn't agree more. But in her haste, her shoe heel snapped. She cursed a little too loudly which prompted all eyes to turn to them. "Ah… ahehe… oops?"

"GeT tHEM!"

"RUN!" They bolted towards the door they came through only to found themselves barred by a burly security guard. There was something wrong with him. Tendrils suddenly became visible under his clothes and his eyes were pitched black.

"You're mine, la—" He didn't get a chance to finish when Rarity brought out her diamond shield and sent him flying to a stack of crates.

"Sorry!" She apologized and hastened her steps. Thankfully they were fast enough to get to the other side. "What in the world is going on!? Vignette! Those people. They're…"

"I have a rough idea of what's going on." Sunset panted as she looked for anything to barricade the door with. "Rarity. Give me your shoes. We can use it lock it."

She paled. "Absolutely not! These are one of a kind Nekes vin—" The shouting and evil moans on the other side changed her tone. "Take it. Take it take it take it!" With a little nudge on the ground, the heels snapped and locked the frame into place. It'll be a while before they can get through that.

With their backs secured Sunset made a quick dash to her car started the engine and stepped on the pedal as hard as she could, only to hit the brakes a second later when a figure stood between them and the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" Vignette grinned before her arm formed a massive tendril. She threw it, and with quick thinking and driving on Sunset's part, they dodged it.

"That's something you don't see every day."

"Where in the world did you learn how to drive like that!?" Rarity balked.

She shrugged. "Video games?"

"Rarity~" The crazy fashionista whined. "I'm disappointed in you. I was really hoping to see you in that glamorous dress I made."

Was she crazy right now or was that simply the magic talking?

"S… sorry darling. I just remembered that 'Evil' isn't my style."

Vignette simply clicked her tongue. "And here I thought we were friends!" She threw her tendril again, and again Sunset maneuvered her car, dodging it. The wheels screeched with every turn.

"Hang on Rarity. I'm gonna do something crazy." Shifting her gears, the copper head reversed her car slamming against the wall before pushing it to the limit. With a few maneuvers that spun her around Vignette, she was able to daze the possessed woman for a brief moment before finally reaching the exit. The fashionista tried to stop them throwing another tendril shot but it melted away when it came in contact with the light.

Vignette grumbled under her breath for a moment, irritated, before reaching for her phone and dialing a number. The tone rang for a few seconds before it was answered.

"They escaped." Was all she said.

**(House by the Hill)**

Ok Rainbow Dash. The coast is clear.

The sports gal busied herself performing a strange method of reconnaissance as she exited her private room in the house. She glanced side to side, checking the hallway for anyone that might spot her. And thankfully the area was clear.

Applejack was at the backyard shoveling the snow out of the grounds, Pinkie was in the kitchen making another one of her delicious deserts which she could smell all the way from here, and Fluttershy was tending to Spike and Winona. No one was around to keep her from her mission.

Doing the impression of a ninja she quietly snuck her way through the living room, grabbing her set of keys before gently pushing the door, lessening the creaking noise it gave. Her goal then came in sight in the form of her motorcycle which was parked just inside the walls. The snow was heavy this time of year but nothing a little push wouldn't help.

Slowly she walked forward, her legs digging into the snow every step of the way. She was almost there. She can make it. Once she was on her baby she'll be free!

Yes! She grabbed onto the handle and began to push thinking that she was in the clear. She reached for the gate and looked up only to find a friend's wide toothy smile staring at her.

"Where are you going Dashie?"

"GAHH!" Rainbow Dash slipped, fumbled and fell before slowly sinking into the snow. "Oh come on! I was so close!"

"Really close too." Pinkie agreed, chomping one of her cupcakes down. "A few more steps and you would've made it."

"How'd you even know I was here? I didn't even make a sound."

"That's because we know you'd try to sneak out." Applejack answered, a disappointing look crossing her face. "Like the last fifteen times?"

"And also because I had Smokey Jr. hiding in your coat." Fluttershy added pulling a little raccoon from her hoodie which chittered cutely at her. "Good work there little fella. Now go back to your parents. We'll take it from here."

Applejack stepped forward, pulling the girl out of the snow. "We know you wanna help out Rainbow Dash. But storming Hoity's place isn't gonna do much here."

"Well I can't help it!" The girl with the colorful hair snapped. "You can't expect me to sit back and do nothing while that guy goes free after what he did to Twilight and Flash!"

"We know. But charging in head-first into a fight ain't gonna do you much good. You know what he's capable of. And if you go in alone, you'll just get yourself in a heap of trouble."

"So what? Are we just gonna do nothing?"

"No. We're waiting for an opportunity." The cowgirl corrected, patting one hand over her hat. "Look. You ain't the only one worried about those two. We're all worried. Even Fluttershy here wants to call on her animal friends and storm the place. But she ain't acting on impulse. We gotta be smart about this. And if you go now, all of us here will be worrying about three of our friends instead of two. Is that what you want?"

Dang it. That's so like Applejack to know how to guilt people with words. Probably learned that from Granny Smith. "I know that! But sitting around here and just waiting isn't for me. Right now I just want to go over there and give that guy a piece of my mind."

"That goes for all of us RD. I'm sure Twilight is fine. You just need to be patient."

She grumbled. "Fine…"

"Good." Applejack smiled sweetly before snatching something from her pocket. "Oh and just in case… I'll be confiscating your keys." Dang it! "Now let's go back inside and warm up before we freeze out here. Pinkie's got a new batch of cupcakes ready."

"They're my favorite~~. Everything topping!"

But just as they were returning, a yelp from the gate caused them to stop.

"Ow…" A figure whined, holding a hand over his aching nose. "What in the world?"

"Timber Spruce?" Fluttershy recognized the boy who waved at them awkwardly.

"Oh… hey girls. I'm… doh!" He approached the gate only to have his face plastered over an invisible force field. Fluttershy quickly approached raising her geode opening a hole in their shield. "Thanks. I am never gonna get used to magic around here."

"How did you get here?"

"I followed the address Twilight gave me." He answered with a tired breath. "Kind of a hard spot to find. Honestly, I wasn't even sure this was the place until I saw you girls. Sorry to bother you so late, but is Twilight here?" They flinched at the name. "I've been trying to reach her but her phone keeps going to voice mail. I was kind of hoping to invite her for a date tonight. Her favorite restaurant is having a special." He then noted their multiple expressions. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh… well…" The girls turned to one another uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.

"She's busy!" It was Applejack who broke the silence. "Actually we've been uh… quite busy lately with some magic stuff a few nights ago so… we're kind of working. She's uh… probably doing…"

"Research!" Pinkie exclaimed. "She's doing research on some magical doohickey we found. And you know how she is when it comes to magic. She's in her own little world. Nerds, am I right?" Fluttershy gave her a cute glare. "Anyway, she's not here right now. And we're kinda busy with our own thing."

Timber looked at them suspiciously but didn't see reason to press it. Rubbing his head softly, he nodded. "Well… alright. But when you see her, can you please tell her to call me? I'm… worried."

They watched him turn and exit through the hole in the barrier disappearing into the woods.

Once they were sure he was out of earshot, Rainbow Dash blurted. "What'd you tell Timber that!?"

"I dunno. I panicked." The cowgirl choked. "What was I supposed to tell'em? That Twilight might've been crushed under a castle?" There was a point there. "Besides. You all saw how worked up he was. Getting him all in on this is just gonna make him even more mopey."

"We could've thought of a better lie." Fluttershy muttered.

Applejack wanted to counter but was interrupted when her phone rang. It was Sunset's name on screen.

**(Autumn's Ranch)**

The sun rose pretty early in the desert lands of Saddle Arabia. The ranch awoke with the sound of sheep cooing in their pens, the windmill spinning, sands shifting in the ground and…

Boom…

The sound of explosives, apparently.

"Aww come on!"

Flash sat back with Autumn, nibbling on a slice of bread as they watch Twilight continue with her experimentation on the magic portal. It wasn't going as well as the girl wanted. She cursed loudly as a rock blew up into tiny pieces leaving shrapnel lying around. Angrily she picked up a stick and began writing on the sand creating a new formula.

"How long has she been at it?"

The boy sighed chewing. "Since the crack of dawn. She's been out here experimenting on the portal the moment she woke up."

Another explosion came, followed by even more curses.

"Should we… stop her?"

"As long as she's not doing anything too dangerous." He muttered though you could tell there was a hint of worry in his voice. "Besides, I'll be here when she needs help. This pickled sandwich is great by the way."

"Don't sweat it. Think of it as payment for helping me with my chores this morning. Normally it takes me a whole day just to get the sheep out to the pens."

"Well… I figured you could use some help." He chuckled. "I gotta friend who has a ranch back home. She's pretty much a workaholic. Always busy with her farm and always working with one thing or another."

"Does she use magic too?" He nodded in reply. "Wow… your place sounds like a place where adventure happens on a daily basis."

"Ehhhh… maybe once in a while. But you should definitely meet Applejack. I have this feeling that you two will make fast friends."

Autumn turned away, hiding her fading smile. "I hope so."

A third explosion followed and this time Twilight threw a fit tossing her hands in the air in frustration.

"So… what is she trying to do again?"

"Twilight's trying to open a portal using that gateway to take us home. But because magic is so complicated, it's not going so well."

"Ooh…"

The purple haired gal shouted and cursed. Thankfully they were out of earshot to hear anything.

"We should probably stop her before she blows herself up again." They rose and walked up to the magical lady who sagged on the sand below her. "Any luck?"

"No!" She snapped back though she didn't have the strength to flail around anymore. "None of my methods work! ARGHH!"

"That bad?"

"That's it! It's official. I hate it! I hate magic!" Twilight whined. "They make no logical sense! First they work in your favor on one thing, then they stop working altogether on another! There's absolutely no consistency with these things!" Sunset would probably agree with her on that regard. "How am I supposed to work with something that constantly change!? Stop changing!"

"I take it your experiments didn't go well?"

"What gave it away? The explosions or my constant whining?" Both actually, but he kept that to himself. She got back up, groaning angrily at the rocks. "It's no use. Without a proper medium, I can't stabilize the portal. I thought that a simple rock could hold it together for a minute or so but the concentration of magic creates too much stress on the user. It won't even last a few seconds."

"But aren't those Portal Stones made out of rocks?"

"They are. But they also have something else. Something that can implement magic on a whole other level. If only I had something strong enough to hold the spell together. Just for a few minutes. We can get a message back to our friends. Maybe I should try it again."

"Oh no you don't." He objected roughly. "You're not going to use that magic on yourself again. You know what happened last time."

"Well, what else are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know. Why don't you try making a copy of yourself like you did last time?"

"I would if I still had that crown."

"Crown?" Autumn questioned.

"It's a magical artifact." Twilight sighed. "A small silver ornery thing. I must've lost it when we jumped through the portal last time."

"You mean… this thing?" She held up the said crown which left the two dumbstruck.


	40. My Twisted Guardian Angel

**Chapter 40: My Twisted Guardian Angel**

**(House by the hill)**

Sunset slumped down to the couch feeling herself rather deflated. After escaping by the skin of her teeth from Vignette's clutches she felt like she could use a break.

"Hold up." Applejack raised a finger calling their attention. "Let me get this straight. Vignette is in cahoots with Hoity? And she tried to kidnap you two?"

"She's not working with him." Sunset corrected with a sigh. "She was being controlled. I think everyone who participated in the pageant is affected."

Rainbow Dash scratched her head confusingly. "So wait. Are you saying that he's mind controlling people… with clothes? Are you sure about this? That sounds… pretty skeptic, and I've seen a lot of things."

"I'm definitely sure. It has all the same properties as the spell I used in school when… I tried to turn everyone into mindless zombies." It was still a hard pill to swallow no matter how many times she says it. "Those clothes they wear had some weird magic stitched to them. When I laid my hand on it, I felt that Shadow Monster creeping into my head. It was not a pleasant experience. Any later, Rarity here would've been part of that group."

"It is absolutely atrocious!" The said fashionista exclaimed. "I can understand taking over the world with dark magic, mind controlling students to become your own personal army, even trapping us all in a camp forever! But to use fashion to implement your plan for world domination!? Ooooh, Hoity Toity has taken things too far this time! To take advantage of our designs and our imaginations to further his own goals!? How selfish can he be!? I say we march right up to his doorstep and take him down this instant!"

"Now we're talking." Rainbow Dash gave a high-five which she returned. The others simply rolled their eyes.

"But why would he want to take mind control a bunch of fashion designers?" Fluttershy inquired.

"Most likely to take their creative imagination and pass it on as his own." Rarity huffed. "What cheek."

Sunset disagreed. "I think his plans go further than just cornering the fashion industry. I think he has something bigger in mind. I'm just missing a few pieces of the puzzle." She turned over to Rarity. "Hey Rare… you wouldn't happen to get that list we asked for, did you?"

"No. But I did catch a glimpse of it. Many big names are included in the guest list. Celebrities, politicians, CEOs, producers and such. It's bound to be a gathering of stars." The list of positions alone was enough to snap everyone into realization. "You don't think he'd…"

"Mind control everyone who comes to his pageant show?" Applejack droned. "Wouldn't put it pass the guy."

"He'd have control over everyone there." Rainbow Dash put the pieces together, gasping in awe. "Every celebrity, politician. Everyone who goes to Filthy Rich's resort will be turned into puppets. And that Hoity guy will be pulling the strings. It'll be like the spinoff of Daring Do! Dr. Caballeron and the Puppet Master. We can't let that happen! I say we strike at him now before he pulls his plan."

"Here here!" Rarity chimed in. "That two faced snake gives us fashion designer a bad name. We'll sweep the rug from under him and he wouldn't even know what hit him."

"Yeah!" Even Pinkie seemed motivated. "I'm dying to try out my banana boat bonanza ice cream. It'll be a taste for them to remember!"

"Now cool your jets people." Applejack protested. "We talked about this. Charging head in to the fight ain't gonna cut it. We all saw how that worked out last time. And Rainbow Dash. You just agreed to lay low earlier. Don't you be backing out on the deal now."

"That was before we discovered that he's trying to secretly mind control everyone with clothes."

"Applejack's right." Sunset took the cowgirl's side. "Like it or not. Hoity is simply too powerful for us to take on in a direct fight. The pageant is still a few days away. That should give us enough time to come up with a plan to stop him. And firstly we need a way to reverse the spell that Hoity cast on those he already controls. Rarity. You still have those designs you made during your first round at the pageant?"

"Of course. I keep all of my masterpieces. But what does that have to do…?" Her eyes snapped open. "You don't think my designs are infected too!?"

"If my hunch is right, Hoity must've cast some kind of control spell with all the designs. If I can get a good look at it, I can probably create a counter-spell to free those already in control."

"Ugh… and while you're doing that, Hoity's probably selling off a dozen more of his clothes to unsuspecting customers! We need to strike now!"

"And I say you're just gonna get yourself nabbed!"

"Rainbow Dash has a point! Sitting around here is useless."

"Now just calm down!"

Fluttershy backed away at the argument heated up. She'd prefer to stay out of it entirely if she could have it her way. But her attention was quickly captured by Spike who held up Sunset's phone in his mouth which buzzed on the couch. She picked it up and saw the caller's face.

"Uh… everyone." Her voice barely pierced the heated debate. "G… guys? H… hello?" Applejack threw in a lama comment but it was roughly brushed off by RD's insult. "Guys? GUYS?"

Oh for the love of…

"WILL YOU ALL JUST BE QUIET FOR A MINUTE!?"

…

…

…

That certainly got their attention.

Fluttershy coughed then answered the call, putting it on speaker.

_"Sunset? You there?"_

"Flash!?" Their attention lit up as they crammed over to the phone, all thoughts of the earlier argument vanishing entirely.

"Flash? Is that you?" Sunset grabbed the device.

_"Holy cow. It worked! Twilight it really worked!"_

"Really?" Another voice chimed in making the gang restless. "Sunset? Can you hear me?"

"Twilight?" Sunset gasped. "You're ok?"

_"We are. Sorta. Kind of hard to tell right now."_

"Where are you!?" Applejack shouted. "We've been worried sick for you, girl! We've been trying to call you for days!"

There was static coming from the other line_. "It's a long story. But we're fine. Mostly. Lis*Bzzzt*. Flash and I jumped through the po*Bzzt*al when the castle collapsed. We *Bzt* on't have a lot of time befor*Bzzt*this signal fades. I'm sending you a text wi*Bzzzzt*all the details. I'm…"_ The signal was cut off mid-sentence.

"Twilight? Hello? Twilight!" Sunset looked to her phone again and noted a single text came through. It was a rather long message, probably typed down beforehand when they called. _"Hey girls. Hope you get this message. Right now, Flash and I are trapped on the other side of the world in a small town called Perilous Peak. No phone signal here. Using unorthodox methods to communicate. But we're safe. Trying to get back as soon as we can. Found another magic portal here but no Portal Stone. Hope you're all doing well. Twilight. P.S. Check and make sure my binders are still in order. I think I left a few unattended. And look after Spike for me."_

"She put her binders before me?" The purple mutt complained.

While the message might've been short and the call lasting no longer than a few seconds, it was certainly more than enough to deflate the whole tension around the room.

Rarity's body went limp at the message. "This is a miracle!" She cheered. "Oh thank the heavens they're alright. I was beginning to fear the worst. Really now. That girl is a handful. All that stress was getting my hair all frazzled."

"I'll say." Applejack readily agreed. "That's a weight off my shoulder. But where in the heck is this… Perilous Peak? Never heard of it before."

"Ooooh~~~ sounds… perilous."

"Pinkie." Sunset scolded. "The important part is that they're both safe. That's enough for me. From what she says in her text, they're trying to find a way back. But it might take a while. In the meantime, can we all just hold off striking Hoity? Until we can get a workaround on his magic." And reluctantly, after a few more debates, the gang agreed.

**(Autumn's Ranch)**

Twilight let out a yelp as Flash grabbed her and Autumn and ducked away as the portal collapsed on itself sending out a powerful blast of energy causing a minor tremor in the area. They were safe. Though he can't really say the same for her clone. The poor thing shattered like glass and vanished into thin air when the magic went out of control.

"Whoa…" Autumn was first to break the silence, turning to the portal with wide eyes. "That. Was. Amazing! That was magic! That was REAL magic! Genuine hocus pocus magic!"

"More like loud magic." Flash muttered painfully as his ear rang from the explosion. He turned over to Twilight who looked equally dazed. "You think they got our message?"

The bespectacled girl groaned. "I hope so. The portal lasted for about half a minute. And we were able to call them with our cellphones. The odds of them receiving my text is extremely high. But as long as they know that we're ok, they should be alright. So~ I'll count that as a win. However our main problem still remains."

"Problem?" He choked. "Didn't you see what you did earlier? You were able to create a portal between two places! That's amazing!"

Twilight shrugged plainly. "Meh. Once you've seen one portal, you've seen it all. The problem is stabilizing it. If we go through that while it's all hazy, we might be sent somewhere else entirely."

"That was INCREDIBLE!" Autumn shouted across the mountain shaking the very sands themselves. "I couldn't believe it. Seeing stuff like that for the first time is like… wow. You really CAN do magic!"

"Yes. I think that was obvious the first time." The nerd gal droned.

"What else can you do!?" The hyperactive girl approached looking like a kid in a candy store holding a golden coin. "Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat? Do you have laser eyes? Can you see the future or predict the lottery? Can you rearrange the stars and make a constellation that looks like me? I have so many questions!"

Twilight pushed her away. "Ugh… personal space here." She sighed. "Like it or not. There's just no way I can maintain a portal without a medium to hold it together. The only way we can open this portal is to find a Portal Stone."

"A what now?"

"It's a magical item." Flash explained though he didn't go into details. "But where are we going to find something like that around here? This place looks like it's been abandoned for hundreds of years. For all we know, it could've been destroyed."

"You're not exactly being helpful around here."

"Hey, I'm just giving my input." He groaned. "I just wish the portal didn't send us to some random location."

"Hey, hi, hello." Autumn waved her hands at them. "What's this Portal Stone you guys keep talking about?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, deciding to humor her. "It's a statue around this high." She quickly drew a figure on the sand with her finger. "It's the thing we need to open a stable portal. We used one to get here. They're extremely powerful and extremely rare. They're practically one of a kind in every portal. Closely guarded and well-kept behi—"

"Oh I've seen one of those."

…

…

Twilight's eye twitched as her head cranked slowly in Autumn's direction. "Eh?"

xxxxxxxxxx

It stood right there in front of her, in the store back in town. The object of their desire stared back at them behind rows of figurines. One of the most powerful magical artifacts in the whole world, whose value exceeded that of the most precious gemstones, which was most likely guarded by golems and other mechanical contraptions, put on display like some item to be sold by some passerby.

"Huh…" Flash mumbled, looking equally dumbfounded. "Well that was surprisingly easy."

Twilight banged her head on the counter.

**(Luna/Celestia's Apartment)**

Luna paced around her room looking at her phone. She wanted to dial the number back but knew deep down that she won't get an answer. She wanted to believe that her students were all trust-worthy citizens and that they could do no wrong. But ever since magic decided to rear its ugly head around their school, trust has become quite the issue. Even more so with those girls.

Sunset was definitely hiding something. Her tone was way off, and the way she dodged her questioning seemed highly suspicious. There was no doubt in her mind that she and the other six girls in her group had something to do with the incident in Freefall Island. The whole castle collapsing was all over the news with reporters saying that it was… strange. Dang it. If those girls were onto something dangerous, then it was her responsibility to get them out of it.

"Ugh…" Grabbing her bag, Luna decided that it was time to take matters into her own hands. She might not proficient in magic but perhaps she could help those girls in another way.

She opened the door, readying herself for a stern lecture with the ringleader only to stumble head first onto someone else.

"Luna?" The older gentleman gasped, catching her.

"Sombra?" She sounded equally surprised. "Wh… what are you doing here? No. How are you here? I thought you were still in Manehattan?"

"I took my private jet." He said that line like it was just an afterthought. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't sleep. Flash hasn't been returning any of my calls and he hasn't returned home since I left. I came straight here from the airport, worried out of my mind. Have you had any luck?"

"Ok first… calm down." She pressed one finger on his lip to silence him. "Secondly, remind me to ask you more about your private jet. And third… I thought I told you that I would handle it."

"I'm sorry. But I panicked. Flash has never done this before. Even before I came back to Canterlot he always tells me or Edmund where he is or where he's going. This is so unlike him." Gee, you don't say. "Is Lesty here?"

Her eyes rolled. "My sister is out on a meeting with the Board of Education. I haven't told her anything yet because I think this is all just a misunderstanding."

"But Flash…"

"Is fine." That was a lie. Knowing what she did now, there was a good chance he might be in some magical conundrum.

"Did you call his friends?"

"I did…"

…

…

…

"And?"

"They… haven't seen him since the Winter Holiday party."

"Oh goodness." The man's face turned pale. "I knew it. He's fallen with the wrong crowd and got himself in trouble. It's like one of those movies where a neglected child becomes bored with his life and decides to join a nefarious criminal organization to find purpose! I'm a terrible father."

Wow… that went on a much darker path than she thought.

"It's nothing like that." Luna reassured him. Though honestly she was pretty much blowing hot air at this point. "I know your son. He's a loving and helpful boy who cares deeply about his friends. He'd never do anything that would get him or anyone else in trouble."

He looked up to her with hopeful eyes. "You… really think so?"

"Well he never got detention and he's never been called to the Principal's office. He's probably out gallivanting just like an ordinary boy on his holiday mode. You know how kids are."

Sombra blinked, placing one hand on his chin in thought. "That… does make sense. I heard that children of his age tend to interact less with their parents."

"See? I'm sure th…"

"But that can't be!" He blurted panicking, much to her surprise. "Flash and I were just starting to get back together! We're bonding! We had a moment the other night at a dinner!"

"Calm down!" She whacked him on the head. "For crying out loud. This isn't the time to be panicking." She let out a sigh. "Look. I'm going over to his friend's house. She probably knows where he is."

"Really?" Sombra jerked up. "Let's go then!"

"Oh no. It's probably better if I do this on my own."

"Luna, please. This is my son we're talking about. I need to know." Damn it. She knew he was gonna play the dad card eventually. That was low even from a totally reasonable stand point.

"Alright fine. But I assure you, he's probably just having fun with his friends. I'm sure he's alright."

xxxxxxxxxx

They stood in front of Sunset's apartment not twenty minutes later seeing it in a smoldering ruin with little more than a few bricks and burnt out scaffolds. A hazard sign was put outside behind a police line. The snow had piled on top what remained crashing it down hard.

Luna's lips curled. "Or… I could be wrong."

Her point was exaggerated by the sound of timber cracking and falling to the ground below.

Sombra's face hardened as he pulled out his phone, dialing a number. "Edmund. It's me. Get the Police Commissioner on the line, now." Oh this wasn't going to end well.

Dang it Sunset! What kind of mess did you get yourselves into?

**(Perilous Peaks)**

Twilight resisted the urge to slam her face on the counter a third time.

… or was it her fifth time? She wasn't quite sure. The concussion from that last smack made her dizzy. She felt like an idiot not noticing something as obvious as this.

How did such a thing escape her notice during their last visit? A powerful relic from a bygone era was just sitting there, waiting for someone to purchase. It hummed with a feint trace of magic but there was no doubt about. That thing was the real deal. A genuine one-of-a-kind Portal Stone. The artifact that the old Yaztec Shamans used to traverse the world. Their literal ticket home. And to think that it was just sitting right there gathering dust and sand for god knows how long. She couldn't believe that such a powerful relic was standing here this whole time.

"I can't believe that such a powerful relic was standing here this whole time!" See? Told ya so.

"I told ya things would work in the end." Flash coyly smiled at her. "It's a little anti-climactic but I'll take the easy route this time."

"With this, we can use the magic to stabilize the portal! Don't you get it? This is our ticket home! We're finally going back!" Her smile widened so much that they practically split her face in two. "And to think that it was right in this store. Who would've thought?"

"Yeah. Apparently the people here have been stripping that place for everything they can sell." The boy shivered. "Talk about an archeological nightmare. If my dad hears about this, he'd flip."

Twilight opted to argue but stopped when Autumn returned. "Well? What'd she say?"

The girl bobbed her head sideways, seething her teeth ever so slightly. "Well there's good news and bad news. The good news is that the shopkeeper is willing to sell that thingamajig. The bad news is that he's trading it for a pretty steep price." The said shopkeeper gave them a toothy smile from behind the counter.

That didn't sound good. "How much is she asking for?"

"50 bags of wool!" She exclaimed. "Can you believe that? 50 bags of wool for a statue!? I don't normally say this, but she's a total money grubbing enabler. That's like… two months' worth of my stock. There's no way I'm making that kind of trade with what I have."

Twilight groaned. She had to know that things would never be that easy as reciting all the elements in the periodic table. "Well is she willing to trade it for something else?"

Autumn took a glance at the clerk and shrugged. "Well… she said she's willing to trade it for your necklace."

Twilight's face went white as she clutched her geode tucking it in her shirt. "Would she be willing to trade it for a chemical formula?"

"Sorry. But unless that formula can turn sand into gold, you're out of luck." Damn it! Another roadblock. As if things weren't bad enough already. If they had that thing for a moment they could probably go home. But it looks like they have to jump a few more hoops before that can happen.

"Grrr!"

"Ok. Let's not blow things out of proportion." Flash quickly grabbed Twilight and brought her out before she blew a gasket. "Let's think this through. Maybe we can come up with a way to buy that statue. I don't suppose the good lady would be willing to trade it for something else."

"Not that I know of. But at least we know that your magical thingie is here. That's a win, right?" It'll only be a win if they can get their hands on it.

Twilight groaned as she watched the Portal Stone remain on the display case, mocking her with its beautiful carving. Her dream of a quick return home was dashed by greed. She could even swear that it was winking at her.

**"So close… and yet so far."**

"Gah!" She flinched when her reflection spoke up first, morphing into her alter-ego. "What are you doing here?" She whispered. "People will see you!"

**"Oh please."** She brushed it off. **"I've been moving around here for hours now, you just haven't noticed. People would've been screaming when they see a person floating in mid-air." **The dark angel scoffed. **"But enough about me. Why don't you go ahead and steal that Portal Stone already?"**

"What? No! I'm not going to steal it."

**"Come on. I know you were thinking it. I am part of your mind after all. You were thinking about using your magic and taking it from the store in the middle of the night."**

"Pfft… no."

Midnight chuckled softly suddenly turning to a leaning posture as if she was lying on air. **"Yeah. You're right. You're too much of a goodie-two-shoes to do something that drastic."**

"What!? I am not…" Her alter-ego gave her a cheesy grin. "Ok maybe a little. But I am still capable of doing all those things!"

**"Oh please. When you found a quarter on the street you dropped it off the nearest police station saying that it would stimulate the local economy."** She laughed. **"Face it Twilight. Evil just isn't in your blood. You were raised to be timid and law-obeying citizen. Nothing more."**

"That's not true!"

**"Then prove it."** Midnight challenged glancing over to the statue. **"Use your magic. Take the Portal Stone right here and now." **Her tone was tempting and seductive. **"The window's open. And the shopkeeper is busy. She doesn't even need to know."**

Yes… it was such a simple plan. The Portal Stone was right there. With a simple wave of her hand she could probably snatch the artifact and replace it with another one of the store's many replicas and the store owner wouldn't even know the difference. It would be so easy. Hardly anyone would even bat an eyelash at such a theft. Heck if anything, she'd be doing her a favor.

And for a brief moment, she actually thought about it.

With all the power she possessed, all that magic in the palm of her hands, why shouldn't she? All she had been doing with that power was waste it on petty things like lifting band instruments or simple objects. Why waste such power on the mundane stuff when she can use it to benefit herself? She could do whatever she wants with it. That shopkeeper couldn't possibly know what she had in her possession. I would open literally open doors for her, to anywhere she wanted.

It would get her home.

Slowly the girl raise her hand, staring deeply at the object. But then in a moment of weakness, she immediately pulled it away out of fright.

**"See? A Goodie-two-shoes."**

"Twilight?" She later vanished when Flash returned, putting his hand over her shoulder. "You ok?"

She blinked. "Y… yeah. I'm fine. Just… a little tired."

"It'll be fine." He reassured her once more. "Don't sweat on it. At least we know it's here. We'll find a way to get it."

"You seem pretty confident."

"I prefer to look at things from a positive light. Makes things easier for me." He smiled. "And look on the bright side. We got a message to our friends. And at least here the portal is somewhere we can see and not hidden under some cave."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Wait… what did you say?"

"Uh… the portal? It's out in the open?"

Her eyes turned upward, towards the mountain.

**(Equestria) (Castle of Friendship)**

Starlight paced around the library that afternoon, shuffling through books and artifacts, doing some tedious research on shadow magic. She kept a close eye over her music box. It's been a while since she contacted Sunset. Sadly, calling her now would just be a waste of time.

She was hoping that Princess Twilight's personal library would have some greater reference than that of the school. But it would seems that the knowledge of shadow magic was just as rare as finding water in the desert.

Sunburst has been keeping her updated on his findings in Canterlot as well, shifting through Starswirl's collection but unfortunately he was turning up empty as well. That pony might be an amazing spell user but he was definitely not the tidiest of them all. His whole darn alchemy lab looked like it has suffered explosions and accidents on a regular basis.

"Headmare Starlight?" A light green Earth-Pony spoke up from the door as he pushed a literal box full of books into the room. "The books you ordered from Canterlot just arrived. Do you want me to arrange them or…?"

"Just put them over by the table. Thank you Sandbar." She sighed. "I don't suppose there are any books there labeled 'Shadow Magic' by any chance?"

Sandbar shrugged uncaringly. "Uh… not that I'd know. Counselor Trixie just told me to bring these here along with the rest." He gestured over to the door where Yona was handling the other boxes that were stacked up, notably all from Canterlot Castle.

"Looks like I'll be going on another all-nighter."

"Are you looking for something in particular?"

She shook her head comically. "No. Well… yes. But for a totally different reason. Anyway, just bring those in. I'll arrange them myself."

"You got it."

But before Starlight could get back to her research, the door smashed open, followed by a bombastic voice coming from the other side.

"Behold, dear friend and… Sandbar. The Great and Powerful and most Wonderful Trixie, has returned!"

The Headmare rolled her eyes at the new arrival. "Hello Trixie. You know you don't always have to do that when you come in."

"Oh I know. But how else would people know that I'm here?" The egotistical pony winked. "But enough about me for a moment. For I, Trixie, have come bearing wonderful news that will bring progress to your research!"

"You found a book that explains Shadow Magic?"

"Uh… no. But Trixie has found the next best thing! Drumroll please!"

…

…

…

"Ahem! I said: Drumroll please!" She glared at Sandbar who immediately tapped his hoof on the floor. "I have found… Starswirl the Bearded!"

Starlight's eyes gleamed. "You did!? How? No. Never mind that. Where is he?"

"He's at the Crystal Empire visiting Mistmane's Crystal Garden. He's taking a little break from his travels."

"That's wonderful! His help will make things easier around here. I should write him a letter."

"Already did." Trixie declared oh so proudly. "I wrote a formal letter via Princess Cadance requesting his immediate presence here in Ponyvile. It was sent out earlier this morning."

"Wow Trixie. That's… umm… amazing?"

"I am amazing, aren't I? Hopefully he'll get here by next week. Now…" The blue unicorn used her magic to pull the book away from her friend. "I believe it is now time for our usual lunchtime meeting."

"Oh…?" Starlight darted to the clock on the wall noting the time. "Wow. It's that late already? Sorry Trixie. But I need to organize all these books and find out…"

"Ah tut tut. Even the greatest of magicians require rest and recuperation. These books will still be here when you return." She gave a pleading face. "Come on. Just a quick bite? We hardly hang out anymore."

The Headmare couldn't help but sigh in submission. Her research was really taking all her time even from her work in the school. She didn't want it to affect her friendship as well.

"Alright. If you insist. I could go for something to eat."

"Yes!" She puffed her hoof. "I know just the place. There's this restaurant that just opened in town and they're giving out special prices for today only! I'll be saving bits for every purchase!"

**(Perilous Peaks) (Portal Ruins)**

**"Can you please explain to me why you decided to come back to this place without the Portal Stone?"** Midnight whined boringly as she hovered above her host. **"Don't tell me you're gonna try that duplication trick again."**

"Of course not. We all know how that ended." Twilight tilted her head. "Something Flash said got me thinking though."

**"You mean that idiot friend of yours made sense?"**

"He's not an idiot. He's just… carefree." She traced her hand over the gateway as if seeing that it'll react. "But he made a good point. Out of all the portals we found, they've always been hidden inside isolated rooms with no direct access. The one in the caves of Everfree Woods and the one underneath Hoofbeard's Castle."

**"Yeah? So?"**

"So why is this one here, out in the open?"

**"Maybe the guys who built it decided to have an outdoor version."**

"No. The ruins here indicates that there used to be a building around the gateway. But it decayed." She looked over to the portal and then the mountain behind her. "And look here. This whole place shows degradation."

**"Ugh… is this whole monologue going somewhere?"**

"It means that there used to be something here that covered the portal room." She quickly pulled out the black gem and saw it spark. "It must've been destroyed some time ago. Then that means…" Putting a bit of magic in, she tried out her hypothesis one more time. And like clockwork, the gem shined, pointing in the direction of the mountain walls. "Aha! I think we got a bite!"

She quickly followed it, only to pull an immediate stop when she found a rockslide blocking her way.

**"You sure that thing ain't broken?"**

"It's pointing me in this direction." Twilight inched closer to the rocks noticing a cave behind it. "There's definitely something here." With a wave of her hand a little help from her magic, the rocks that blocked her path moved aside, revealing a hidden stairwell that led deep into the mountains. "Yes! I was right! There is more to this place than the portal. Score one for theoretical deduction." She was about to head in when her floating angel blocked her path.

**"Whoa. And where do you think you're going?"**

"Uh… investigate the cave we just found? Duh."

**"And you think it's a good idea for you to just go there on your own?"**

"I'll be fine. I can handle myself."

**"Oh sure. Like everything that happened so far has been pretty fine. Need I remind you that you don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to dark, damp locations? The parking lot back in Canterlot, the cave in Everfree Woods, the trap in Castle Hoofbeard?"**

"Those were just accidents. And they worked out fine in the end. I'm sure there aren't any traps here. And even if there are, why do you care?"

**"Technically, I don't."** She countered. **"I'd be more than happy to see you get crushed by a rolling boulder trap. But despite my feelings on this relationship, I'm still a part of you. We're linked together whether we like it or not. And if something were to happen to you, it won't just be your end, but mine as well."**

That was… logical. But Twilight didn't seem to mind the risk.

"I'll take note of your concerns. But seeing as you can't stop me, I'm going in anyway."

**"What do you even hope to find anyway? For all we know it could just be an empty room or a death trap!"**

"It's not." She said with such confidence.

**"And what makes you so sure?"**

"Because of what Flash said before." Twilight took a glance at the portal, processing her thoughts. "He said that the portal sent us somewhere random. Like it just spit us out to another place across the world." Her alter ego raised a brow. "But what if it wasn't random? What if the portal sent us to the last place it was used?"

**"You're not making any sense."**

"Think about it. The only person who could've used the portal was Captain Hoofbeard. He had the black gem bracelet and the Portal Stone. We can surmise that he knew how to use them at the very least." She paused for a moment building that dramatic effect. "He was also notorious for stealing treasures from various places. And where do you think a pirate like him would hide his loot?"

Midnight's eyes snapped open in realization. **"Some place where others can't get to."**

"Somewhere like… half-way across the world, in a cave, far in a remote location where folks have never even heard of."

They both turned to the cave entrance, now equally enticed by the prospect of what lay hidden inside.

**"Hmm… untold riches from across the world, all ours for the taking?" **She grinned.** "I'm in."**

"Not bad for a goodie-two-shoes, eh?"

**"Don't push it.**


	41. Legacy of the Old Ones

**Chapter 41: Legacy of the Old Ones**

**(Yaztec Temple)**

Twilight felt like she was going down to the world's crust at this point. The stairwell she took was long. Far longer than what she expected. With the amount of debris she had to move out of the way it was no wonder the locals didn't find the place. And even if they did they'd have needed heavy machineries and equipment just to get the stuff out of the way, which would most likely take them years just to get through the first layer. Thankfully having magic circumvented that problem.

The air inside was stuffy. If she had to guess she'd say that she was probably the first person to set foot inside these ruins in centuries. The excitement of discovering such a place was exhilarating since these weren't just your average ruins.

This was the place built by the ancient Yaztec people. The people who actually possessed knowledge of magic. Who knows what secrets lay undisturbed within these walls? What kind of spells did they create? What potions did they brew? What sparked their interest in conquering the world? And what made them all vanish?

So many questions and she might be the first person to actually find the true answer.

After a few more minutes of walking, she finally made her way to a floored section of the ruins which opened to a large open area that seemed to have been hollowed out from within. The wall formations alone were smooth to the touch, like they were scrubbed by sandpaper from top to bottom.

**"Ooooh… very impressive."** Midnight Sparkle spoke out openly, floating a few feet away from her host, eyeing the giant statue at the center with an envious gaze. **"Say what you want about these old timers, they sure know how to decorate. When I conquer the world, I want a statue of me built just like this. Of course I'd have it move to the city. I'd like to say I try to remain connected with the people."**

"This is amazing…" Twilight gawked in awe as she hovered her light spell to her surroundings. "This place looks like to be some kind of temple. Look at all of this. This place seems untouched."

**"Yeah yeah. It's all amazing. Blah blah. Wonderful. You said that there'd be treasure here. And yet all I'm seeing so far is rocks, rocks and… more rocks."** She paused for a moment. **"And don't give me that nonsense about the REAL treasure being inside of us this whole time. That whole concept of an invisible treasure is just horse dung."**

"I was just theorizing that there might be treasure here." Twilight defended. "I never said that there might actually be treasure."

**"WHAT!? So you're risking your hide over something that might not even exist?"**

"That's the whole point of theory. Besides, what I'm actually after is a Portal Stone." Her alter-ego passed on a look. "Think of that portal as a door and the stone as the key. Would you only make one key for that door? I'm willing to bet the Yaztec shamans would've kept a spare or two around here."

**"Is that a fact, or just another one of your theories?"** Her awkward smile answered her question. **"Ugh… I can't believe I actually trusted you."**

They traveled deeper into the temple passing through a number of relics and tapestries before finally pulling a stop to a large opening that looked like a ritual ground. A number of familiar statues surrounded the place encircling a figure at the very center.

"Is it just me or does this place look kinda familiar?"

**"It's just you."** Midnight whined. **"What are these statues anyway?"**

"This must be their spirits." Twilight spoke up pulling the light closer to each of those statues. While many of them had decayed overtime, you can still make out the shape. "Uta, the wolf. Kaaz, the hydra. Eri, the falcon. Onsu, the bear. And Zar, the jackal. Each of these are guardians of the Yaztec people."

**"And what about this big guy?"** Midnight pointed at the large statue that seemed to be elevated above all others around here. **"He doesn't look intimidating."**

"That would be The Night Master. The Yaztec didn't have a specific name for him other than his title. But he was pivotal to their faith and religion."

**"And what was he supposed to be? Some kind of insect?"**

"According to historical records, the Night Master didn't have a form. No one was even sure what he was but he was definitely the center of the Yaztec's deities. He could take the shape of any creature or person he wanted. Mingle with the mortals without them even knowing it. They say that he disguises himself to guide his people to great prosperity or ruin, whichever he decides."

**"Oooh… devious, cunning and pragmatic. How schemie."** She added with a grin. **"Now that's a god who knows what he's doing. What's the point of having all that power if you can't have fun every now and then? You can certainly learn a thing or two from him. Still… there doesn't seem to be any treasure here. I figured something like a temple like this would have, oh… I don't know, offerings of jewels and such."**

"This is a historical site!" Twilight scolded. "These artifacts alone are practically priceless. How can you not find interest in these?"

**"The only kind of artifacts I'm interested are those with magic."** Midnight chuckled cheekily. **"And those made out of gold and gems that gleams beautifully in the sun. None of these fill those categories."**

"Are you sure you're part of my conscience?"

**"Most definitely."** She floated closer, poking the nerd by the nose. **"Say what you want, but I find ancient history to be… mediocre. I prefer to look at the future rather than the past."**

"These kinds of ruins hold untold secrets! If folks knew that magic was real they'd kill each other just to find this place!"

Midnight's eye wandered to the side of the large statue before grinning. **"Well… I'm sure that guy over there would agree."**

Guy?

Twilight followed the angel's finger finding a skeletal remains sitting there with its bones all exposed.

"Gyahhhh!" She jumped back, startled and bumped onto a decorative vase. It stumbled and fell, shattering into a million pieces. "GAH!"

**"Oooh… that looks important."** Midnight teased earning another mean glare from her host. **"Seriously Twilight. You are not good at handling fragile objects. First that bowl Flash gave you, now this? If this was a museum, you'd be neck deep in debt."**

The nerd gal resisted the urge to counter and returned her gaze back to the skeleton. And for a second there she noted something odd.

"Hold on." She gasped. "Is that…?"

The girl approached and saw something out of place. The skeleton's attire was… different from what she expected. While the Yaztec people wore robes and linen cloth, this dead fellow looked far more flamboyant.

The tricorne hat was a dead giveaway to his identity. That along with his eye patch. Whoever this guy was, definitely wasn't from this timeline. He wore a scarf, an open shirt, and several belts over his waistcoat which color has faded over the centuries. His arms clutched over a book covered by strings of his decayed beard.

Twilight could put the pieces together like the easiest jigsaw puzzle ever made. Knowing that the portal could only be used by people who had some semblance of knowledge with magic, and the information she gathered from the castle… the answer was plainly obvious.

"It's Captain Hoofbeard!"

**"You sure? How can you tell?"**

"He's wearing the same clothes as the one we saw on his portrait back on his ship. The cutlass, the coat, the hat? They're all the same. And check this." She pulled up his bony hands. "He has the same black gem bracelet like the ones Hoity and Cinch used." She later realized she was literally holding a corpse and pushed it away. "And… hello. What's this?" The girl reached for the book that it was clutching, noting the tight grip before finally prying it off. The thick layer of dust signified its age.

Twilight scanned through the pages noting many of the words faded from time.

"This is written in old colonial." The nerd announced with vigor in her voice. "Ole… yee… aqua. Forgo thy eye. Ugh. I am so glad we traded this old language for a more modern one."

**"And yet still no treasure."** Midnight whined, finally deciding to just pull up a bed and lie on it. **"That's the last time I get my hopes up to seeing mountains of gold or a pile of gemstones."**

"This book is a treasure trove by itself." Twilight countered. "You could learn to appreciate history. It proves that Hoofbeard was a member of this organization. He knew about magic and knew how to use it. Let's see here. Umm… Twas humored by… thus… to? This sounds like a journal… or at least I think it is. The penmanship is just horrible and the grammar errors is unbearable. Maybe if he took a class in spelling rather than piracy, he wouldn't have so many mistakes."

**"Ugh… you are seriously THE most boring person ever. Can you say anything remotely interesting that doesn't involve technicality?"**

"I can recite a poem about the periodic table."

**"Pass."** She groaned. **"Let's get out of here. There's clearly no pirate treasure. Just… dead pirates."**

"Hang on now. Let me grab this bracelet. At the very least we'll have a backup plan just in case something happens." However… just as she reached for that bracelet, the gemstone suddenly glowed with magic, illuminating the whole room in a blinding light. "What? What was that? Did I do that?"

**"Uh… Twilight."** Midnight called out to her host pointing behind her.

And standing there, tall and handsome in a ghostly visage wearing those same colorful clothes and a thick black beard was the very pirate himself. His eyes focused ahead like a man with a mission, one hand on his cutlass while the other held on the book.

"Hoofbeard!?"

**(Autumn's Ranch)**

Flash felt his hand itch once more. He was beginning to wonder if the sand in this place was making his old wound act up. But he didn't mind and quickly returned to his task, grabbing his cane, and began pushing the sheep back to their pens.

"Wow… that was quick." Autumn applauded verbally from the sideline. "Normally it takes me hours just to get them to listen to me. You sure you haven't done this before?"

He shrugged. "Let's just say I've learned from example." Hiring the ranchers near Applejack's place during her family reunion gave him a good reference to go by. "They kind of act like my dog. Give them a little treat and they'll do anything you ask them to."

"Huh… sweet. If you told me you were a rancher, I would've actually believed you." She gave out a quick stretch, letting out a satisfied moan. "Ha… anyway, I'm heading back to town to run some errands and talk with the shopkeeper again. You sure you can look after the place for a few hours?"

Flash nodded confidently. "I'm sure. It wouldn't be the first time I looked over someone's place."

"Really? Because I can just help out and…"

"Trust me. It'll be fine."

"Well… alright then. I won't be back till tonight so help yourself to the leftovers in the pantry. I left some cactus juice just for you guys."

"Will do." He waved her goodbye until she was finally out of sight.

Flash wiped the sweat on his brow, letting out a tired groan. The afternoon sun in this desert was downright torturous. How Autumn and those people in the village live their daily lives here in this heat was a mystery.

Still… there was something strangely calming about this whole setup. Flash can't put his finger on it but living in this little homestead away from the bustling city felt right for him. It was completely different from his home back in Canterlot where everything was served up to him on a silver platter.

Maybe a small part of him longed for the simpler life – or maybe he was just bored with his own rich-boy persona and thought that anything new would be hip. It was one or the other.

Heck, he could already imagine himself with something akin to Applejack's orchard with a simple house, a barn and maybe a few animals to tend. Though he can't really see Sunset willing to join him on such a venture.

That was kind of a bummer.

*Bahh!* His attention was dragged over when he realized that there was still one more sheep outside its pen. The poor fluffy fella must've decided to go for a stroll away from the flock.

The boy chuckled and reached for his cane, limping his way over to the pillow-like creature. "Now how'd I miss you?" He humored himself with a small childish banter. The sheep simply responded with another cute bah. "Alright little guy. Time for you to join the others. Come here." He reached out to the fluffy fellow. But before he could lay one finger on it, a sudden surge of pain coursed through his hand.

Flash grunted loudly, frightening the poor sheep and dropping his cane. He looked to his hand thinking that he might've opened the wound. But no. This wasn't like those usual itch but something else. For one thing his scar was glowing. It was faint but it was there. A light blue hue. It pulsed lowly like his heartbeat extending up his arm highlighting his veins like some twisted version of Vinyl's light show. It flowed all the way, reaching right into his chest.

"That's… new."

And those words would prove an understatement when pieces of Yaztec ruins, which had fallen nearby, began to glow as well. The hieroglyphs that decorated the exterior shined brightly, like they were responding to the new power flowing through him.

"What's… happening?"

It hurt. It really REALLY hurt. It felt like acid was running through his body, burning him from the inside. What the heck was wrong with him?

It was just supposed to be a scar. The doctor back in school said so. But then again he wasn't exactly proficient in magic so he wouldn't be able to tell.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of suffering, the pain subsided. The scar however grew in size now covering half of his hand.

A hundred questions popped into his head and no answers to be found. He would've looked into this further had he not felt a tremor coming from below.

And if he was right, only one person here can cause such a commotion.

**(Yaztec Temple)**

Twilight took a few step back as the _ghost_ of Hoofbeard stood there, looking far more intimidating than any man she ever encountered. The man was tall, like ridiculously tall. He must be… what? 8 perhaps even 10 feet. His beard and eye patch decorated his face giving him that dashing debonair look, and his body frame made him bulky.

"How is that possible?" She gasped. "Is he a ghost?"

**"There are no such things as ghosts." **Her guardian angel snorted as she floated closer to the apparition looking closer to his face. **"I don't think this guy is really here. It feels more like… residual magic. He is quite a looker though. Gotta say, that picture of him did not do him justice."**

"Residual magic? Is that a thing?"

**"Think of it like a fingerprint."** Midnight explained. **"When a spell is cast it leaves behind its leftover magic that slowly disappears to the area where it is cast. A particularly powerful spell can leave a lasting impression on an area. This one here… is a perfect example."**

A few seconds later the apparition stepped forward passing through Twilight like a spirit. He approached the statue, placing his journal on the side while pulling a small object from his coat. It gleamed beautifully with the gems embedded on its side.

"That's the Chalice of Wishes." Twilight recognized the artifact. "He had it."

_"Hoofbeard Stop!"_ A voice desperately called out from behind him followed by panicked footsteps. It was a woman with light pink skin and green straight hair. She wore a robe over her body with its hoodie taken down. Judging by the tiara she had on her head and the necklace and earrings, you would think that she came from royalty. _"Please! Don't do this! You can't!"_

**"Who is that?"**

Twilight shrugged. "I have no idea." She flinched however when she heard the pirate laughing.

_"Child. You come at your own peril. You should've stayed at home where you would've been safe."_

_"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I allowed you to do this! Surrender the Chalice!"_ The woman demanded._ "Or you will face the wrath of The Order of the Black Stone."_

Hoofbeard however simply brushed off her threat. _"Foolish human. With all that power, you and your followers could've ruled this world by my side. Yet you squandered those gifts on petty things!"_

_"Our Order stands by its belief: We do not use magic to benefit ourselves but to benefit all of mankind. Your action here is an affront to all that we stand for. Now… release my husband at once!"_

Release her husband? What did she mean by that?

Her answer came soon enough when Hoofbeard began to laugh maniacally. Something was wrong. This man wasn't acting like the pirate Twilight had envisioned. She expected him to be like those olden sailors who arrr or curse in a sailor lingo, but instead he was acting like… something else entirely. Smoke emanated from his body while his eyes were blotted black.

_"Silly child. You truly believe your beloved sailor still lingers here? Hehehehe…"_ He floated upward, now looking like some kind of evil demi-god. _"He was gone a long time ago."_

_"No…"_ The woman gasped.

_"He and I made a bargain. He gave up his body and soul, in exchange for you."_ Hoofbeard… or whoever the man was, gave a toothy smile. _"Love really can make you do the strangest things. It's a shame. I actually liked him. But now his soul belongs to me. And with the power we've acquired in this Chalice, all my desires will be fulfilled!"_

_"Never!"_ The lady sent out a powerful magic beam from her hands which Hoofbeard casually brush aside.

_"Fool. Did you forget that all your magic came from me? I granted you that power. You cannot touch me, much less hurt me."_ He looked up. _"And with the Solstice closing in, the power on this Chalice will increase 10 fold. Nothing can stop me now._

_"If that is true…"_ The regal lady muttered back, her teary eyes showing defiance. _"Then we don't have to hold back anymore."_

We?

"Now!" With a wave of her hand, more than a dozen hidden figures jumped out from the temple ground, surrounding the pirate, catching him by surprise.

_"It doesn't matter how many there are of you. So long as you use my magic, no spell you cast can harm me."_

The woman stepped forward, each of them brandishing their bracelets like weapons. _"You may be the one who granted us magic. But we've been developing our own magic as well."_ Their gemstones hummed with power, faint yet powerful. _"We may not be able to win. But that doesn't mean we lose either."_

A shield formed around Hoofbeard, surrounding him in an orange hue.

_"You naïve child. You can't really believe that this barrier can hold me forever."_

_"No. But just enough for us to take this."_ Quickly enough, one of the woman's acolytes rushed to the statue and grabbed the cup.

_"The chalice!"_ Hoofbeard roared as he realized their plan. He slammed his fists on his prison, cracking it. _"No!"_

_"Quickly! Get to the portal and get that thing as far away from here!"_ The acolyte nodded and made a beeline to the exit not even daring to look back.

_"Jewel! You traitor!"_ The shadow howled as he broke through the barrier and immediately gave chase. Only to be blasted back by the woman now known as Jewel.

_"You will not leave this place."_ She and her fellow members began conjuring a spell. Chains made of light fastened on the pirate restraining him. _"These ruins shall be your prison. With this new magical energy we've developed and this spell our mages devised, you'll be trapped here."_

The monster's anger was obvious. He snarled and cursed, trying to force his way out but soon calmed when he knew that the restraints placed against him weren't going away any time soon. He let out a sigh, giving his adversary a slow but honest applause. _"Well played, Jewel. I can see why Hoofbeard was so enamored by you. You always were the smartest one in the group. Perhaps I should've come to you instead of him."_ He returned to the ground and sat where the bones laid, offering a complimentary smile. _"This victory is yours. But know this: Your actions mean little in the long run. The best you can do is delay the inevitable. One day I will have my powers and this world will be mine."_

_"That day will never come."_

_"Oh but it will."_ Hoofbeard laughed. _"I have waited eons for my time. I have seen civilizations rise and fall countless times like leaves on a tree…"_ He paused. _"… I can wait a few millennia more."_

And with those final words, the apparitions vanished in a trail of fairy dust, leaving Twilight and her not-so-guardian-angel pondering.

**"Well… that happened."**

**(Canterlot) (Sweet Shoppe)**

Luna wasn't sure how to feel right now.

While she knew that she should both be concerned and worried about the disappearance of Flash Sentry, a part of her can't help but feel rather… exhilarated by this whole ordeal. Heck, she was hanging out in her old haunt, sipping pumpkin spice latte surrounded by police officers. That wasn't something you get to see on a daily basis.

Ever since she and Sombra saw the state of Sunset's apartment, the future mayor of Canterlot had gone out of his way to pull every favor he can muster to get the city's finest to help him. The next thing she knew they were being escorted by police cruisers, led to the meeting point and then… before anyone knew it, the whole store was taken over by uniformed officers. It was quite the spectacle. Though Luna was particularly worried about Mr. Cake, who pretty much fainted at the sight of so many law enforcers. He was worried something bad was about to happen and quickly prompted to close up shop early.

While Luna somewhat enjoyed this strange distraction from her mundane duties. She can't help but feel like this whole thing was getting out of hand.

She had been trying to get Sunset on the phone but unsurprisingly enough that girl doesn't seem to be taking her calls. And honestly their last conversation practically dripped with suspicion. And after seeing the state of her apartment, there was no doubt in her mind that those girls had something to do with the boy's disappearance.

Luna didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet and she didn't want to spill magic into this whole fiasco unless she was absolutely sure. But if that boy doesn't turn up soon, she might have no other choice but to get those girls to fess up.

The Vice Principal then noted Sombra joining her table as he finished his conversation with the police. The uniformed officers departed the café in droves afterwards, much to the relief of the Cakes.

"How'd it go?"

He sighed depressingly, which was understandable in this position. "There's been no sign of him. The police will keep an eye out but that's all they can do. I asked them to keep it quiet for now. But if Flash doesn't turn up soon…"

"Don't say that. You're just thinking of the worst case scenario. I'm sure it's not as bad as it looks."

"And what about that apartment?"

Ah… right… that.

"W… well…" She couldn't come up with an explanation which only made the man whimper. "Alright. I don't have a logical explanation. But I'm sure it's not as bad as you think. Sunset wouldn't do anything to hurt your son."

"Sunset?"

"That's the girl's name. She's Flash's girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" The man raised his head, a mixture of intrigue and confusion marring his face. "He never told me he had a girlfriend."

"Well ex-girlfriend actually. It's… a long story." A very long and confusing story that you won't even believe. "Let's just say that they were dating for a while and then they broke up and… stuff happened."

"He never told me anything about this." Sombra grumbled. "Why hasn't he told me? We talk once every week even when I was out on my expeditions and he never mentioned her."

"Well it's… natural for children not to talk about private relationships with their parents."

"Or maybe he just doesn't trust me." The man's face darkened as if some twisted realization dawned on him. "Maybe he still doesn't trust me."

"Don't think like that. I'm sure Flash trusts you."

"Does he?" He asked as if he already knew the answer. "I want to think that he and I can be a family again but… I think I might just be a hindrance to his life. I've… I've been gone for years, only talking to him once a week through a box and no more than an hour. Now I just come back suddenly asking to be a part of his life. If you look at it from his perspective, I'm no better than a stranger." His eyes lazily glanced over the counter where Mr. Cake cradled over his twins in his loving arms.

Well… he's not wrong. As a matter of fact, Luna hardly recognized Sombra until they met a few days back. The last time they saw one another was roughly after graduation, before her sister dumped him with a note. Even after his marriage with Sophie, they hardly saw each other at all. The fact that they were able to hook back up so quickly should be considered a miracle in itself. Especially after what happened. If she were Flash, she'd probably agree with what Sombra says. 'They'd be nothing but complete strangers.'

But Luna didn't have the heart to say such a cruel thing.

Quietly she reached out to him, holding his hands in hers. "I… don't have a proper answer to your dilemma. But as someone who deals with your son on a weekly basis, I can say with certainty that he doesn't despise you. Yes… granted: You leaving him alone all those years has made him rather cold. And honestly I wouldn't blame him if he didn't really feel anything about you. But… you're here now. And you can start making it up to him by being there when he needs you."

At the corner of her eye, she noted Mrs. Cake giving a quiet nod as she pushed her husband to the back room along with her twins.

"Being apart for so long will obviously strain your relationship. But at least it's good to know that you're trying to mend things." She continued. "Look at it from Flash's perspective. When you left him, he probably thought you abandoned him. I understand that you have your own emotional baggage, however that doesn't absolve you either. You don't know how to act around him and he doesn't know how to act around you because you've never really connected." She let out a sigh as she tightened her grip. "You couldn't be there for him back then. But you can be there for him now."

The man looked up, as if seeing light for the first time.

"Now. You can either wallow here in your own self-pity, or… you can put your money where your mouth is and show him what his old man can do."

Sombra looked visibly taken and quickly withdrew his hands and wiped the tear that was conjuring around his eyes.

The older gentleman looked up, some life returning to his texture. "You're right. That was stupid of me. I shouldn't be thinking this way. It's just that… I'm worried about him."

"You're doing what any father would do." She thought on that for a second. "Though granted, not many would be able to call upon the Police Commissioner, but I'd like to say that you're on the right track."

"You think I should do more?"

She wanted to say yes… but only because she's curious to what he might do next. Seeing a whole load of police officers here was already considered big in this sleepy little city. But what next? Will he call in the fire department? The army? The Illuminati? The Space Program? The President? Would he introduce them?

"No. I think this is plenty." She said quickly, hiding her deeper thoughts. "Besides, I haven't contacted all of his friends yet. I sent a message to Celestia. She'll make the rounds on all of his associates to see if anyone's seen him."

"Thank you Luna." Sombra nodded in gratitude. "For… this. I'm sorry for being such a child."

"Don't be." She waved it off, tossing him a sweet smile as Mrs. Cake approached their table to take their order. "You can do me a favor when we find him."

"Anything."

Now that's a golden ticket if she ever heard one.

**(Perilous Peeks) (Autumn's Ranch)**

Twilight was in deep thought when she finally got out of the old temple. After watching that historical ghost-show, a billion questions popped into her head. Questions that she can only speculate from what little information she had.

**"So… that was something."** Midnight stated hovering lazily next to her. **"Wasn't expecting a climactic battle like that. Normally when you dive into a deep dark cave you normally get chased by a rampaging monster or avoiding traps… or a combination of the two. What do you think?"**

"Honestly? I'm not even sure what to think. Seeing Captain Hoofbeard in the flesh was kind of a surprise. I don't even know what to make of it." It was like watching the sequel of a movie that you've never even heard of with characters whose background she should've known long ago. "But it wasn't a complete waste of time either. We were able to get this journal and a second black gem. I'll count that as a win. Besides, we also got loads of new information. At least now we know who we're up against. The Order of the Black Stone."

**"Sounds like a generic name. Kind of like the Canterlot Magical Investigation Club." **Twilight rolled her eyes at her jab. **"What I'm curious about is what that lady said. From what I can tell, this organization of hers has been around for a long time. And that her Order is dedicated to helping mankind as a whole."**

"The same sales pitch Hoity tried to sell me before I fought him." Her host remembers. "But yeah… that got me too. I'm starting to think that maybe Hoity wasn't lying. But we can't rule anything out yet. This organization might've been dedicated to helping people but that was over 300 years ago. Who knows what could've happened between then and now? A lot of things can change over time."

**"Speaking from experience?"**

Twilight huffed. "Oh be quiet. But in the meantime, I can busy myself with this." She brought up the captain's journal. "Some of the pages are faded. But with some time, effort and some help from my friends, I should be able to restore and translate it. If there's an answer to be found, it's sure to be in here."

**"Why don't you ask that Flash kid to help?"**

"Flash?" Twilight grumbled to herself. "I don't think he'll be much help here. His knowledge of magic isn't exactly stellar."

**"The boy may be useless but his resources are abundant."** Midnight stated, showing herself in all her regal glory. **"You've know how deep his pockets go. He rebuilt your friend's barn and bought that apartment like they were chump change, his old man is going to be the most powerful and influential person in Canterlot. Having someone like that under your thumb will open doors for you."**

"True… but Sunset isn't going to like that."

**"Oh please. Are you just going to follow everything that girl says? That redhead knows nothing of magic, or power! Who knows what you could've achieved if you had the right tools for the job? Who discovered the use of the Portal Stone? You. Who was the first to find this new magical energy source? You! Who developed technology that can trap magic itself? YOU! Without you, your friends would be useless."**

"That's not exactly how friends work."

**"Oh come on Goodie-Two-Shoes!"** Midnight groaned into her hand. **"Aren't you tired of being limited because of your own limited resources? You have to close down your lab because the bills were too high, you have to move in with your stupid boyfriend because it'll help cut cost! You're limiting yourself to working in these… prehistoric conditions when the solution to all your problems is waiting hand and foot right over there!" **She floated closer, whispering to Twilight like a twisted cartoony version of her conscience. Except this time she was both the devil and the angel. **"Can you imagine it? A full functioning lab all to yourself, dedicated to the study of magic. The bill you rack up will be nothing but a footnote in his finance. You won't have to be limited anymore. You can finally be free of that burden and do whatever you want."**

It was tempting. And Twilight can scarcely imagine how wealthy Flash truly was. With all the money he spent this month alone, he could probably match her parents in terms of income. Tax included. Twilight could picture her own lab. Her own place. Everything she could ever want and need to study magic undisturbed. It would be a paradise.

**"And you know Flash. You know he'll do anything for you or your friends. He's enamored by you. Just say the word… and he'll set everything up with a snap of his fingers.** **If he's willing to give his old home to Sunset, think what he can give to you if you asked nicely."** Midnight Sparkle grinned evilly before again, vanishing. **"Think about it…"**

And for a moment there, Twilight did think about it. While there was no way she could agree with alter-ego completely, she had to admit that she brought up some good points. Ever since the Friendship Games, her knowledge of this otherworldly energy expanded infinitely. The amount of applications using Equestrian magic alone was staggering. And combined with the magic from this world? The possibilities could be limitless.

It would lead to a new, clean and renewable source of energy.

Crop rotations with magical properties will yield harvests unlike anything the world has seen. Hunger would seriously be a thing of the past.

This field would also develop new medical discoveries leading to better medicine, healing techniques and other practices.

Forget the Nobel Prize. The amount of trophies she get will fill her whole house.

But to even think of reaching that kind of result would also require a proper laboratory, tools, research, and a lot of funding. A whole lot more money than what her family could provide in a decade. Heck, even she was feeling the loss of her precious lab.

Ever since that day, her research came to a near grinding halt.

Flash could probably provide such resource to her. Midnight wasn't wrong on that regard. His family was stupidly rich. Just hearing about the details of his house from Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy was enough to gauge their wealth. She wouldn't be surprised if the boy had a bin with a pool made of gold coins.

But despite knowing what he was capable of, Sunset refused to asked for his assistance and barred everyone from even trying. Her pride and lingering feeling of guilt from the time they were together kept her from taking more. Heck, he practically bought her apartment and gave her his old house without even a second thought. You won't find people who can just give you a house out of the corner of the road.

If she simply asked, he'd probably do it in a heartbeat. He'd set up a place just for her and decked it out with the best scientific gear money and influence could buy. She'll have free reign to do whatever she wanted and even hire a few assistants to help out. That boy will give them just about anything. Absolutely… anything.

"No!" Twilight snapped herself out of her power fantasy pinching her own cheeks for good measure. "What the heck are you thinking? Sure, Flash could probably skyrocket my career and research on magic but taking advantage of people is just wrong. Ugh… I need to get her out of my head."

"Get who out?"

"Gwah!" She nearly jumped when the boy appeared from the barn. "Flash! How do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Appearing out of nowhere! You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Uh… sorry? But in my defense, I was calling out to you for over a minute now. But you were just mumbling to yourself."

Was he? Twilight can't seem to remember. Perhaps Midnight's dark whispers drowned out his voice. Ugh… she must've looked like a weirdo.

"H-how much did you hear?"

"Not much. You were pretty much just muttering nonsense." He gave her the weird eye. "Were you… talking to someone just now?"

"N… no." She lied. "Of course not. I was just um… talking to myself. Sometimes I get a lot of information in my head and I need to sort them out from time to time." That made sense, right? Flash didn't look that convinced though. Quick, change the subject. "Anyway, I found a cave system that goes inside the mountain. And you won't believe what I found."

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight spent the next hour going into every detail of her journey. From the discovery of the temple, the journal and the vision she saw. It sounded surreal. And if she told this story to anyone else, they'd probably right her off as a complete mental coocoo. Heck she once tried to explain the whole thing to Timber and Shining Armor at one point but neither of them seemed to have a grasp in magic. To them it probably just sounded like a little girl's imagination gone wild.

Flash on the other hand… had some difficulties too but at least he was trying. He put more effort into understanding them more than Timber.

"So wait. You're saying that these guys with these black gems. They're the good guys?"

Of course he'd question it. "I'm not really sure. But the lingering magic left behind showed what happened. Captain Hoofbeard seemed to have been possessed by some entity and this Order of the Black Stone…"

"That's a rather generic name."

Twilight could feel her inner angel/demon agreeing with him. "… the Order of the Black Stone seemed bent on stopping him."

"From doing what?"

"I'm not sure. But I do know that it involves the Chalice of Wishes and the Winter Solstice. I might be able to get more from this journal. My old colonial is a bit rusty." She took a quick glance and nearly fainted at the contents. "Ugh… the penmanship is atrocious. And there isn't even a table of contents. How am I supposed to tell the difference between the important bits and the non-important bits? It'll take me weeks of restoration work just to figure out his old pirate speech."

"Well I'm not buying it." Flash stated grabbing a seat by the ranch. "No offense to them but when one of them burns down my friend's house and another burns down a barn, I'm putting them on my 'Bad guy' list."

He made a compelling argument. "Speaking of friends. Where's the other girl? I thought you'd be hanging around passing on bad jokes." Twilight asked noting the absence of a third party.

"Her name's Autumn. And she's running some errands in town. She said it'll take a while before we can afford that Portal Stone so she'll be calling in some favors with some of her associates."

"Huh. That's surprisingly helpful."

"You know Twilight. You might wanna try being nicer to her. I mean… she did take us in after all."

She made a face. "Ugh… now you're starting to sound like Sunset."

"Come on now. This whole thing could've been a whole lot worse for the both of us. If it wasn't for her, we'd probably be stuck out in the desert, or worse." Again he made a compelling argument. "I'm sure if you made a little effort, you'll find that you have a lot in common."

"Really? I think she'd make a better friend with Applejack than me. Besides I want to get started with a little research."

"Come on Twilight. One day of rest won't hurt. And you owe me for going somewhere dangerous on your own."

Twilight puffed her cheeks. "It wasn't that dangerous. And I can handle myself. Besides, I wasn't going to take an injured boy to a hazardous ruin. I should be the one telling you to take it easy."

He nodded in admittance. "Ok. So I might not be in the best shape, but that doesn't excuse you for going down there all on your own. You could've gotten hurt." Now he really was starting to sound like Sunset. Honestly, these two were perfect for each other. "So instead of just diving into caves and looking for lost pirate treasure or mystical cults or secret organizations, can we just have one day without either of us looking for danger?"

"Ugh… well… I won't really be able to make any good progress without proper tools or equipment."

Flash's eyes beamed. "So that's a yes?"

"Fine. I suppose I can give the simple life a day in court. But just to clarify: Getting back home is still my priority."

"Deal."


	42. Reprieve

**Chapter 42: A Lovely Reprieve**

**(House by the hill)**

Sunset let out a tiresome yawn as she got to the living room of her new home. The greeting of the hazy dawn and the smell of freshly cooked eggs in the kitchen was a welcoming feeling especially in these cold days. A rough guess would say Rainbow Dash had kitchen duties. No offense to Pinkie Pie but her she could learn to expand her culinary skills to things other than pastries. If they simply had her cooking, their sugar levels would rise higher than your average human.

"Morning sugar cube. Had a good sleep?" Sunset found Applejack by the fireplace feeding Winona and Spike.

"Not really. Had to deal with Rarity all night when we tore through her designer clothes." The poor fashionista cried rivers for every piece of fabric they ripped to discover the magic behind them. "I… kind of feel bad for her."

"It's all for the best." The cowgirl defended. "Hope it was worth it."

"Definitely. Hoity Toity really did put a spell on those clothes. It's really complex and designed to put the wearer in a deep trance while something else took over. Thankfully, after last night's research, I think I can reverse it."

"That's good news."

"Yes and… no." Sunset grumbled. "The counter-spell requires a lot of work. And there just happens to be hundreds of people under its influence. I'll need more time to develop a better one. I got Starlight working on it in Equestria."

"Well… anything me and the girls can do to help?"

"Thanks but I think I can handle the magic part. I just wish we had something more to go on. And… speaking of which, where are Pinkie and Fluttershy?"

"They volunteered to keep an eye on Hoity while we figure things out."

xxxxxxxxxx

Fluttershy sat on a bench just outside Hoity Toity Trendsetter wearing the most elaborate disguise she ever had in her wardrobe. It was something that Rarity had prepared for her in case for a stakeout mission. The hat, trench coat and boots were both functional and stylish in all the right manner, complete with a fake wig and a mustache for extra detail. She even had a newspaper spread out in front of her to sell the act. In another world she'd probably make a decent detective.

Pinkie on the other hand was camouflaged in a less concealing outfit.

"Churros! Come get your churros! Get them while they're hot and yummy! 20% off today only at the one and only, Sweet Shoppe! Get a discount coupon right here!" The bubbly gal was dressed as a churro holding up pamphlets and balloons like some mascot animal. And the surprising thing was that she was actually being successful. Even the kids came over to her asking for coupons. Though she wonder if they were real.

xxxxxxxxxx

"That's good initiative."

Applejack nodded in agreement. "Yup. Their mood got a lot better after we got that message from Twilight. Don't wanna get caught unprepared again."

"I'm all for it. I just hope Twilight is staying safe. I'm still worried about her."

"Don't you worry about little old Twi. She's a big girl and she can handle herself. And she's the smartest out of all of us. She wouldn't do anything dangerous. Besides, Flash is with her. I'm sure they're… having a ball wherever they are."

She chuckled at her friend's attempt to cheer her. "Thanks Applejack."

But then an explosion from the kitchen alerted them to smoke. Rainbow Dash poked her head from the doorway with a guilty looking smile. "Uh… Applejack. When you said I should keep the microwave on for 30. Did you mean that in minutes or temperature?"

"Oh for the love of." The cowgirl face palmed. "Hang on. I'm coming."

Sunset watched the two of them control the damage. Hopefully they won't burn this place down as well. Having one home set on fire was enough as it is. She was about to assist when she noted her magic journal buzzing by the table.

It was a message from Starlight. She wanted to talk.

And like clockwork, the music box she left over the fireplace came to life with the dancing pony on top changing form.

"Oh! Sunset hi. Sorry. I hope I'm not interrupting. I didn't want to scare you a third time so I wrote on ahead."

Sunset laughed. "Yeah. I got your message. What's up? Did you get those notes I sent you?"

"Yup. I got a REAL professional working on it. Anyway, that's not why I called. I got somepony here who can help you with your magical problem."

Her eyes beamed. "Is Princess Twilight back?"

"Uh… no." Starlight replied much to her disappointment. "But you'll be thrilled either way. Sunset. Get ready to meet a special guest." A second dancing statue manifested revealing an older pony wearing a blue cape, wizard had and sporting a long curly beard.

Whoa…

"Oh my…" The mythical pony stated as his visions cleared up. "This is a rather interesting spell you've developed. You have to show me how you did it Starlight."

"Oh it's easy. Twilight showed it to me a while back. I just gave it a few of my own personal touches. Anyway, let's save that for later. Sunset. Allow me to introduce you to S…"

"Starswirl the Bearded!" The redhead let out a gasp she soon realize she was holding. "Wow. It really is you! Oh my goodness. This is such a tremendous honor. I've heard so much about you when I was just a filly back in Celestia's magic school. You were like… the biggest inspiration of all time. You practically wrote THE book on magic."

The bearded pony laughed at her hysteria. "I appreciate the praise. But I'm afraid that all the great things you've heard about me were rather exaggerated and a tad bit biased. After all I was the one who taught Celestia and Luna magic."

"I heard that Twilight brought you and the Pillars back but I've never had the chance to see any of you. This is… incredible. I read so much about you. Especially the adventures of Rockhoof the Mighty. It was one of my favorite books. I checked it out of the library more times than I could count. Aheh. Oh and Mistmane's guide for magical arts was also…"

"Ahem…" Starlight coughed. "Magical problem?"

"What? Oh! Right. Sorry. It's just that… I never thought I'd ever get to meet a mythical figure like yourself in my lifetime."

Starswirl chuckled back. "You'd be surprised how many people say that when they meet me for the first time. But this is also quite an interesting subject itself. I never thought I'd get to another human ever again."

Sunset blinked. "You've… seen other humans?" She face palmed. "Doh right of course. You're the one who invented the magical mirror portals."

"One of my greatest works if I do say so myself. Starlight has given me the quick version of your predicament. Though I am rather surprised by this." He brushed his beard gently like a wise-sage. "I visited the human world back in my… well… younger days. It was a strange and wondrous place. Though I don't seem to recall that place ever having any magic. If I remember correctly, that place was more in-tuned with technology and science."

The redhead cringed. "Yeah… that's kind of my fault actually. It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Anyway, you've seen the Portal Stone and black gem from earlier, right?"

"Yes. I've read the notes. Quite admirable if I do say so myself." Starswirl nodded impressively. "The _'Portal Stone'_ in particular was quite a new discovery. However I can state with absolute confidence that these artifacts clearly do not belong in the world you're in. In fact… there's something familiar about the magic lingering in these objects."

"I knew it! So there really isn't magic in this world after all."

"Not that I remember. I will go to Canterlot tomorrow and look through my collection. I'm sure I can find out where these objects came from. What I'm more concerned about right now are these Shadow Monsters you've been encountering. They are quite alarming to say the least."

"You know about shadow magic?"

"I do. I spent a great amount of time researching ways to… deal with such dark magic. Before… Stygian." His face pained as if recalling a terrible memory. Starlight tapped him on the back reassuring the old pony, urging him to go on. "Anyway, I do have a spell that might help. It's something I cooked up in one my all-night studies. I'll have Starlight here send it over. During the next alignment of stars. Sadly these portals can only activate when certain conditions are met."

"Oh you don't have to worry about that." Starlight chuckled. "Twilight already made some changes on the portal. We can travel back and forth whenever we want."

"She did?" Starswirl's face beamed. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised anymore considering that she'll be the next ruler of Equestria. Thoughd I would rather have this matter settled quickly. Such interference between two worlds can be catastrophic."

"Heh… yeah. Catastrophic." She chuckled awkwardly.

But Starlight brushed it off. "Oh don't you worry your tiny little hoof… or… hands. You've handled worse things. And when you're done, maybe you can come back to Equestria for a quick visit. We'd love to have your firsthand experience over there."

"Another time Starlight. But I'll keep the offer in mind."

"What?" Starswirl's eyes shot up, his bearded jaw going slack for a moment. "Visit? Hold on a moment. Sunset. You said that you studied in Celestia's school of magic?"

The girl in question nodded dumbly. "Yeah. Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I was a student there… before uh… stuff happened."

"So what you're saying is that… you're from Equestria, originally, yes?" She nodded again not really understanding the question. "H… how long have you've been in that world?"

"Uh… the dates and time in this world and Equestria aren't all that different. So… about 3 years. Maybe 4, give or take."

The old pony's face paled. "Oh no. That's… not good."

Starlight raised a concerned look. "Is something wrong Starswirl?"

"Sunset. Listen to me very carefully." Starswirl's voice turned dead serious. "You need to come back immediately."

"What? Why?"

"Nopony should ever visit another world for too long. The universal backlash is far too dangerous."

Sunset's brow curled. "What do you meant?"

"It's difficult to explain but Celestia and I have experienced the danger of world traveling first hand. I must highly insist that you return."

"Starswirl. I… I can't." Sunset darted at the kitchen noting Rarity coming from her room looking more exhausted than before. Rainbow on the other hand was burning the eggs along with Applejack. "There's too much at stake here. Especially now when all my friends could be in danger."

"Just by being there puts both our worlds in danger, child. Believe me. It's not worth it. I implore you to come back at once."

"Hey Sunset!" Rainbow Dash called out. "Do you prefer scrambled or sunny side up for your eggs?"

"Either is fine." She replied before whispering back to the two dancing figurines. "Sorry Starswirl, but until this matter is wrapped up, I'm not going back."

"Suns-."

"We understand." Starlight interjected. "Your friends are important to you. I'm sure we can deal with this problem quickly before whatever catastrophe comes along. Right Starswirl?"

The old wizard didn't seem keen on letting the matter go but decided to go against his better judgment for now. "Very well. I shall defer to your decision. But please consider coming back the moment this problem is resolved Sunset. For all our sakes." The transmission ended a moment later leaving the former unicorn a rather ominous feeling inside.

"What was that about?" Rainbow Dash asked as she got out of the kitchen with a plate of burnt toast.

She didn't bother answering.

**(Autumn's Ranch)**

Ugh… waking up on a straw bed was never going to feel comfortable no matter what position she tried. Twilight stretched her body, feeling her neck creaking from the lack of pillows. God she missed her bed so much. And showers. Nice warm water running down her hair. Some shampoo or cool soap to improve her hygiene. Heck, she'd do anything for a proper change of clothes.

Autumn offered some of hers but they didn't exactly match her style… or fit her for that matter. That brunette was a few size too big for her.

At least the temperature was bearable in the morning. It wasn't too hot or too cold, it was just right.

That sounded a lot like a fairytale line but who cares? At least the sheep were keeping silent and not eating her…

"AHHH! My hair!" She screamed loudly as one of the stupid animals nibbled at the loose strand prompting her awake. "Hey! Let go of me you little…!" The wooly animal did so and fled joining its flock by the entrance. Twilight hastily began fixing her bedhead but failed to save chunks that were chewed off. "Oh come on! Do you guys have any idea how long it took me to have this hair done perfectly? It took me three visits to Rarity's place to get it just right."

*Bahhh~~*

"Don't 'bahh' me. It takes effort to keep my hair this straight. The next time you take a bite off me, I'm sending you Rarity's bill." If the animals were concerned of her threat, they certainly didn't show it. Instead they just returned to their corner, ignoring the girl. "Don't ignore me!"

*Bahh…*

"Well bahh back at you too!" She gave that last sentence a thought before she face palmed herself. "Ugh… I need to get out of here. I think I might be going crazy. I'm starting to argue with animals like Fluttershy. Next thing you know I'll be hearing voices in my head and talking to myself." Another pause. "Oh wait…"

Not wanting to go for a long mathematical debate with the sheep, Twilight decided to get out of there before she loses what little sanity she had left.

"Morning sleepyhead." Flash greeted her from the pens still holding the cane like a walking stick. "Whoa… someone looked like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"Haha. Laugh it up." She grumbled lowly as she reached for her hair trying her best to straighten them out but her constant ruffling only made the torn edges more apparent. Not to mention a few hairball stuck out as well. "Ugh… stupid sheep."

"Having trouble with your new roommates?" He eyed the said sheep who gave him a strange look in return.

"More like they're having trouble with me. If it's not their late night choir serenading, it's their wool getting all over me."

"Hey, come on now. I figured you'd be used to having animals shed all over you."

"Spike only sheds twice a year. Three at most. And he doesn't take chunks out of my hair!" Her whining went on. "Honestly, how can you stand this place?"

"It's all about adapting." He explained in a sagely manner. "When the world changes around you, don't fight it, instead change with it. You'd be surprised how relaxing this place can be."

"I'll be relaxed if I can finally get home and get a proper bathroom. We've been stuck in this place for three days. THREE! I've been wearing the same clothes and haven't had a shower since we got here! I smell like the backside of a donkey and not in a good way either."

There's actually a good way in that quote?

"Ok~. I see that you're in a bad mood." The boy raised his hands up acting like a shield. "But I think I got just the thing to brighten your day."

"Is it the Portal Stone so we can finally get out of here?" She droned on, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No. Autumn's still working on that. Getting 50 bags of wool isn't gonna be easy. But I'm guessing it's the next best thing. The town's apparently throwing a New Year festival today. Autumn says it's going to be amazing."

New Year.

Wow she totally forgot about that. The whole lack of snow has really thrown her internal clock into disarray. With this heat, you'd think it was practically summer.

"New Year…" She muttered before her mind jogged up. "That's right… New Year is just two weeks away."

"Yup. There'll be music and dancing and maybe even some free food. It'll be a once in a lifetime experience."

"Giant parties?" Twilight chuckled. "Don't we have that like… almost every day?"

"Yeah but never in the desert." His reasoning was rather poor on that one. "Come on. What do we got to lose?" He offered his hand so casually with his trademark smile. There were so many ways she could answer that question, but she restrained those thoughts.

Instead she accepted his hand and allowed him to drag her off.

Perhaps one day of relaxation is what she needed to get her out of her rut.

xxxxxxxxxx

The celebration wasn't as big as Flash thought it'd be. But for a sleepy town like Perilous Peaks, a name he still finds weird, in the middle of nowhere it was practically a festival in its own right. Everything here was hastily erected to accommodate for the party. The town was small. Probably no more than a few dozen families living like next door neighbors. Heck he'd safely say that the Applejack's family reunion was slightly bigger than this. And brighter too.

You'd expect a festival to have brightly colored banners, and giant flowers decorated upon every window. But considering that they were in the desert. That would be asking a tad bit much.

But at the very least there was music and a lot of dancing. A stage was erected at the middle of town where a band was playing some local music.

Autumn led the two outsiders through the streets, finding a place by the plaza, where they enjoyed what little sights the town had in its festive swing.

"This is so exciting!" Autumn exclaimed with more enthusiasm than the situation entailed. "I've never been to a town festival with friends before. Normally I'd try to chat up with one of the locals, but they'd just ignore me or just try to listen. So this is all new territory for me. Oh! You should try out the house-special here. The food is to die for."

"Is it more pickled sandwiches?" Twilight groaned. Other than the occasional fruits, that was pretty much the only thing they've been eating for the last few days around here.

"Nope. It's this amazing thing called 'Ice Cream'." The two outsiders looked at her strangely. "It's this creamy thing with different flavors that are so cold that…"

"We know what ice cream are." Twilight stopped her. "And yes. Actually, we'd love to have some." The girl gleefully went on her to way to the stall to purchase their order. "Thank goodness. For a moment there I thought she was gonna get us more of those pickled sandwiches."

Flash shrugged. "Eh… they aren't so bad."

"We've been eating those things for three days straight." She countered.

"Ok maybe it is that bad. But they're good for you… I think."

"And it's not just that either. If it's not pickled sandwiches, it's pickled eggs… or pickled beans, or pickled peaches. I know that they can good preservatives but there has to be a limit. If I have to eat another thing dumped in pickle broth, I'll go bananas!" A sigh escaped her. "What I wouldn't give for one of Pinkie's cupcakes right about now… or any of Sunset's failed fruitcakes… or Applejack's delicious pies."

Flash's stomach suddenly groaned, recalling the taste. "Ugh… please stop. Now you're making me hungry." He laid his head on his hand before a thought came to mind. "Alright. How about this? Seeing as I am partially responsible for our current situation, why don't I take you out?"

"Take me out?"

"Anything you want to eat." He added. "After this is over and we get home. Name the food or the restaurant and I'll take you there myself. Everything on the house."

For the first time today, the girl managed to show a smile… and perhaps even a short chuckle. "Now you're just trying to be nice."

"I'm serious." The boy insisted. "I can make a reservation to any bistro in the city. Nothing's too exclusive for me."

Twilight's smile began to form again, though she looked somewhat skeptical. "Are you… flaunting your money at me right now?"

"Only for you girls. Besides, I do feel somewhat responsible for our situation." He admitted softly, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. "So whadaya say?"

What did she say?

Twilight's lips puckered a bit as she rolled the idea in her head. There was a place in Midtown she always wanted to visit. A bistro called the Tasty Treats. It served exotic food from different regions and often had a long lineup waiting outside their doors. Not to mention their reservation list are backlogged for months. It was a little on the pricy side but it never fails to attract customers. She can still recall that alluring smell she caught when she pass by the window.

"Well… there is this one place." She confessed, hands waving around to exaggerate the situation. "A small diner in Restaurant Row. Timber and I have been planning to go there but we never got to doing it."

"Say no more. It's done." Flash made a note on his phone. "Just give me the name and I'll have us served first-class. And~~…" He grinned. "… I'll be sure to tell them to hold the pickles." The terrible joke was the kicker that finally got the girl bursting out in full laughter. She held it back with her hand but it was far too late as a few eyes wandered their way. "There we go. I finally did it."

"D… did what?" She asked through laughs.

"I finally got you to smile." He answered. "I was afraid you were just gonna sulk like you did back in the ranch."

Her head recoiled. "I wasn't sulking."

"Twilight, you've been sulking ever since you woke up here. I haven't seen you smile or laugh until now. You've been stressed out and obsessed about getting home. You needed a break. And I thought this little outing could do you some good."

The girl paused, a little surprised to hear that. "You… were worried about me?"

"Of course. You and your friends are important to me. I don't want anything bad to happen to you girls."

Her cheeks turned red as her fingers wiggled over a strand of her hair. "I… guess I have been a little overbearing these last few days. And… maybe a little anxious after what happened with Hoity. I guess all those things really got to me and I've been taking it out on you… unconsciously." Eh… maybe a tad bit. "Sorry…"

"Hey, no sweat. I'm used to having people vent their steam at me. Besides, what are friends for if not an outlet for their pent up frustration?"

Twilight's shoulder unbuckled a bit. A sweet smile returning to her face. "So… how about we look at what this festival has to offer?"

Flash was interrupted when two ice cream cones were shoved to their face with Autumn smiling down at them. "Here you go! Two special orders for my new two best friends." They graciously accepted them though the best friend thing was kind of a stretch. "Pickled flavor ice cream!"

Twilight spat it out a second later.

**(Equestria) (Canterlot Castle basement)**

Starswirl couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as he trotted down the once familiar hall of the castle. While the stuffy smell could easily be removed with a simple spell, he preferred to keep it this way. He wondered if this place has always been this small. He certainly remembered it to be a lot bigger when he was young and spruce.

His collection of magical tomes, which he spent painstakingly assemble, was probably worth a small mountain of bits. Some of these books are hardly even in found anymore, their authors having been lost to time. Oh how he remembered reading many of these back in the day over the castle library, with a nice hot cup of tea.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Starswirl… sir?" The young wizard stallion he recalled as Sunburst asked.

"I'm just feeling a bit… lightheaded from all the nostalgia." He answered longingly while his eyes cast over his old home. Each piece of furniture, each book and tapestry stirring a part of his mind with a sense of déjà vu. "It's been quite a while since I last visited this place. Every bit and pieces here holds such precious memories of my uh… younger years."

Sunburst smiled in understanding as he led the old wizard through. "Well you'll be happy to know that everything here is exactly as you left it. Princess Celestia had this whole area cordoned off when you disappeared into Limbo. I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of reorganizing some of your collection. I couldn't make sense of the order you put them on."

Starswirl hid a smile under his beard. Celestia and Luna always did pester him about organizing his things. Despite what other creatures may think of him, he was an absolutely disorganized pony. From his room, right down to his penmanship. All of them were about as organized as a museum holding a yak dance. The reason why Sunburst couldn't make heads or tails of his belongings was probably because he never bothered to sort them out. They were all simply thrown in together and forgotten. It's hard to keep tabs with relics from another world entirely.

"I'm sure you'll treat my collection with respect, Sunburst. But for now let's focus on the matter at hand. You said that you found a relic that has similar magical elements as those found by Sunset?"

"Yes! That's right." Sunburst hastily led the old wizard through his room, down to the mirror hall where the old man's ingenious masterpiece stood, arrayed for all to see. An entire room dedicated to the study of mirror portals. A single hallway stretched on for ages while rows upon rows of portals stood on both sides. One can only wonder what was on the other side of each creation. "No matter how many times I come here, I always find myself enthralled. To think that each of these mirrors connects to different worlds."

"Indeed. They can be quite alluring. Each of them had their own unique charm that also mirrors our own."

"I can only fathom how many adventures you undertook in these places. You must've experienced so many new and wonderful things."

"Concentrate Sunburst. Your mind is wandering again."

"Huh? Oh! Right." The young stallion nodded shyly before bringing the great wizard to the table with a single object standing atop of it. "This artifact is the one I was telling you about. It's the only object in your entire collection that has the same magical readings as the Portal Stone."

It was a cup… or perhaps a bowl? Not that it really matters. Though the design of the thing look rather exotic. There were figures painted around it symbolizing creatures that he had never seen before… or perhaps simply creatures he had forgotten. His memory wasn't as it used to be. What he was sure about was that it definitely wasn't from Equestria or this world at all.

"We've tried comparing its magic to the residual magic of several portals but there are a lot of them and sadly we've had little luck." Sunburst explained stroking his short goatee. "I don't suppose you know which world you brought this from."

He wished he knew. It would certainly accelerate this whole ordeal. But then again he visited hundreds of worlds before the whole incident with the Pony of Shadows and never really had any real reason to organize all this stuff. Perhaps he should've hired someone to keep this place clean.

"I'm afraid not." He answered, trying to sound as sagely as possible. "It's been a long time since I actually visited any of the worlds I came across. And I didn't exactly go there to collect souvenirs or useless trinkets. My passion has always been magic and that it what my time is spent on."

"I completely understand, sir. I too am a practitioner of all things magical. I read Wynnum's Guide to Magical Arcana over a hundred times now. It never gets boring no matter how many times I go through it. It's like the whole thing was written to be…" He stopped when he noticed the look he was getting from the old wizard. "Oh… right. Sorry. Focusing."

"Well if you can keep your mind focused on the task at hand, we may be able to settle this quickly." Starswirl marched towards his mirrors, each of them humming to life as if acknowledging their creator's presence. "We must hurry though. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can bring Sunset back from the human world."

Sunburst raised a questioning brow. "Bring her back? Why? Did something happen?"

"When I made these mirror portals, I may have underestimate the consequences of tearing through the fabric of space and time. Ponies and people were not meant to traverse through other worlds. At least… not in this manner." Starswirl let out a sigh. "If I had known of the repercussions beforehand, I never would've made these portals to begin with."

"Wh… what kind of repercussions?"

The old leader of the Pillars cast a deathly look. "The worst kind."


	43. Back and Forth

**Chapter 43: Back and Forth**

**(Autumn's Ranch)**

Twilight let out a tiresome yawn as she and Flash (+Autumn) returned to the ranch after a long day of rest and relaxation. Though she would put a quote on the 'rest' part.

She thought that the festival in town would be on a small scale, like the size of the town itself. But she was so wrong. Dead wrong. The festival was way bigger than she imagined. Apparently most of it was constructed outside of town to make use of the open field. There were stalls, games and other strange bizarre activities that she never even heard of. There was even this pyromancer who juggled torches and spew fire from his mouth. It was all quite enlightening.

From what she can gather, people from all over the desert have come to this quaint little settlement to join in on the celebration. It's not every day you get to experience another culture's celebration of the New Year so she may as well roll with it while she can. And thankfully this little vacation worked wonders for her mentality. She hardly even thought about getting home at all, much less about the Portal Stone. She could just sit back and relax and enjoy the festivities. If anything she might even stay until nightfall.

Flash and Autumn had stayed with her for the better portion of the afternoon enjoying all manner of festivities around the festival. There was a little bit of dancing, some sightseeing and even some game stalls.

By the end of it all, the day was mostly productive.

"That was… amazing!" Autumn went into a singsong tone as she giddily hopped on the sand, holding a smile so wide it threatened to split her face in two. "I can't believe I actually went to a festival… with friends! It was everything I could've hoped for. We hung out, we danced, we ate and we partied hard! Ha!"

"Ok ok." Twilight calmed the girl down. "It was… ok… I suppose. I mean it wasn't exactly that thrilling."

"Really?" Flash challenged. "Because I think you were having a little too much fun on that ring toss game." And indeed she was. Though mostly it was because she was trying to get over a trauma that happened back in Equestria World some time ago.

Her cheeks flushed. "Ok. So I might've gone a little overboard with the game. But in my defense, it was way easier than the one I played back home. And at least I got a cool prize out of the deal." She brought out a stuffed unicorn that looked pretty worn. "I'm calling him… Smarty Pants. For obvious reasons."

"Oh~~~! You name your stuff too?" Autumn cooed so adorably. "This is so much fun. I wished this day would never end. We should totally do this again."

"Maybe another time." The boy opted. "This festival was pretty cool on its own."

"Oh if you think the festival was festive, wait till you see the fireworks they shoot out later tonight. It'll be… magical." She exaggerated with a wave of her arms. "We'll have the best view in town."

"Sounds great."

"It is! Oh! I'll grab some midnight snacks!" She can guess what it is. "Pickled mushrooms!" Twilight rolled her eyes in defeat as the girl literally hopped to her house, humming like she was the happiest girl in town. She kinda reminds her of Pinkie, if just a little bit. With their boundless energy and positive attitude they could make a graveyard shine with every color of the rainbow. Twilight took a mental note to never let those two meet. It would be like putting billions of atoms together in a jar and shake it wildly just to watch them split in an atomic level. The result would be… unimaginable. The world just isn't ready for that kind of reaction.

"I'm gonna freshen up too." Twilight added, combing her hair with her fingers. "I got sand all over me with all that walking."

She then made her way to the outhouse sink where a bucket of water was placed to clean her up and a semi-cracked mirror to give her reflection. God, she missed showers. The feeling of being clean, water just running down your hair, the smell of soap and shampoo. Basic hygiene! The saying really is true. You never know what you had until it's taken from you. Heck, she missed it so much, she's practically seeing herself having a bubble bath in the mirror.

**"Do you mind? I'm trying to relax here."**

"Gahh!" She startled back when her own reflection spoke up, Bloody Mary style. "Midnight Sparkle!?"

**"The one and only."** The dark angel answered, her wings manifesting in her flames while she sunk into her tub. **"You really could use a shower yourself, Twilight. You're looking mighty filthy. And I don't like being inside a filthy host."**

"I would if this place offered it. But it's not like we have sub-par indoor plumbing out here."

**"Too bad."** Midnight cooed as the bubbles popped. **"You really should try these bubble baths more often. They really do just melt the stress off your back." **She moaned seductively.

Twilight rolled her eyes. She knew that none of it was real. In the end, that woman was just bubbling in an imaginary tub. "Why are you even here? If you're trying to convince me to let you out, then you know my answer."

**"Oh come now Twilight. Not all of our meetings have to be so dramatic. Can't your conscience just pop in out of the blue and say hi?"**

"From what I can garner from interacting with you. We both know that you don't just show up without a reason. And if I had my way, I'd lock you back in my head and throw away the keys."

**"Oooh aren't we grouchy today. And here I thought you were enjoying your little vacation."** She was. Until her alter ego decided to make a surprise visit and taking an imaginary bath. **"What's the matter? Didn't you enjoy hanging out with the most popular boy in school?"** Oh she did, until someone decided to pay a surprise visit. But she didn't need to tell her that. **"You know I'm part of your mind, right? I can your every thought."**

Damn it. She forgot about that. "Fine. So I had fun for one day. What about it? Are you going to tell me to do something immoral again?"

**"Hmmm… maybe."**

Twilight rolled her eyes again. "Look. Flash was right. I have been going at this whole magic thing too hard lately. It's the reason why I have you out and about talking to me like a vision."

**"I prefer to define myself as your conscience. Like those cartoonish angel and demon that appear on your shoulder whenever you're in a dilemma."**

"And which are you?"

**"Why both, of course."** She chuckled evilly. "Do you require guidance from yours truly?"

"I'd rather take ballroom dancing advice from a Yak." She added lowly while her alter ego splashed. "Will you please get out of there!?"

**"I don't wanna."** What is she? A child? **"What's the matter? Jealous just because I can take a bath and you can't?"**

"No." She paused. "Well… yes. Maybe. It's just that seeing myself in a tub like this is making me… uncomfortable."

**"Aww… sweet little Twilly. Not confident in yourself?"** Midnight teased but submitted in the end. With a snap of her fingers the tub was gone and she was back to the goth style fashion with fiery eyes. **"Fine. Is this better?"**

"Immensely." Twilight gave a sigh of relief. "Now tell me why you're here so I can shoo you back to whatever dark void you came from."

"Twilight." Midnight gasped feigning shock. **"How rude of you. And here I thought you and I could be friends."**

"I don't make friends with someone who tries to destroy the fabric of reality."

**"Oh. Of course not. My mistake. You just make friends with people who turn people into mindless zombies to conquer the world."**

Ah… right.

"That's… that's different." She stammered. "Sunset was another person back then. She's changed. Besides, I wasn't even there so it doesn't count."

**"I'm just saying." **The angel shrugged non-apologetically. **"You have strange taste in friends."**

"Twilight?" She snapped her head around when Flash's voice rung in. "Are you ok?"

"Y… yeah! Totally!" She mentally slapped herself when she realized that her answer came in a tone a little too high. "I'm just umm… a little tired." The girl stretched out her arms faking a yawn. "All that partying really tuckered me out."

"Were you… talking with someone?"

"Nope! That's just me uh… thinking out loud ahehehe."

**"Nice save."**

Quiet you.

"Are you sure?" He didn't seem convinced. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Of course! Absolutely! No problem."

"Well… come on then. The firework display is starting. Wouldn't want to miss that."

"Be right there." She waved him off before snapping back to her alter ego. "Look, if you're going to be with me then can you at least be quiet? At least when there are other people around? It's bad enough I have to talk with a voice in my head, if Flash saw me like this he'll start thinking that I'm crazy."

Midnight opened her mouth to make a snarky comeback but decided to save it for later.

xxxxxxxxxx

She found Flash at the cliffs of the ranch overlooking the town. The night was calm, which was a welcome change from all the racket in the festival.

"Wow. Autumn wasn't kidding. This place really does have the best view in town."

"I know, right?" The boy agreed letting out a soft chuckle. "Reminds you of the cliff outside Canterlot. Though less grassy."

They paused for a moment, admiring the scenery, with only each other to keep them company. The music from the plaza could be heard playing, though neither of them could really understand the lyrics. Twilight scanned her surroundings for a moment just to make sure that her 'Guardian Angel' wasn't around to surprise her. Hopefully she'll stick to her head and stay there if god's willing.

"What's the matter?" Flash noted her expression and called her out.

"Oh I'm uh… fine. Just… umm…" She eyed the town below. "Just taking in the view. Nothing weird about that."

"Well… at long as you're having fun."

What was with this guy?

Twilight began to wonder curiously. It's been a while now since they've been teleported to this place yet this boy next to her has been calm. Despite everything they've gone through, all the death-defying missions and chaos they found themselves in, Flash didn't seem all that panicked. Any other person worth their salt would be hyperventilating or going half-mad already. Even some of her classmates back in CHS would be tearing their heads out trying to find a way back like… well… like her. But Flash was like some kind of guru who found inner peace. In fact, he was probably the only one here who's keeping both of them sane. Perhaps all that experience with dangerous magic made him immune to the bizarre nature of their adventures.

"Thanks Flash." She stated openly which unsurprisingly earned his full attention.

"For what?"

"For today. If it wasn't for you, I'd probably be shuffling around ancient temples and tinkering with that portal till my bones dry." Her eyes wandered over to him, while one hand hovered over her head. "That… or blowing myself up. I really needed this day off from all that mess. What I'm trying to say is… thanks for putting up with me. I know I've been a little over the top when it comes to these types of situations."

"Don't sweat it." He returned the gesture, chuckling softly. "When it comes to getting down time, I'm your guy. But you sure can't beat the view from here."

"Tell me about it." Twilight agreed, glancing up to the sky. "I'm supposed to be spending this time with Timber. I promised that I'd be staying at his place. Instead I'm on the other side of the world hanging out with you." She paused on that thought before realizing how insulting it was. "Not that you're bad company or anything. You're a great guy. It's just that…"

"It's fine. I totally understand." He laughed loudly. "I take it you two finally got things together?"

"Yup. I decided to move in with him. But only after graduation. Best to keep things slow for now. I mean… it's no 3 storied mansion but it got its own charm. Not to mention how close it is to Everton Academy. It's prime-real-estate."

"Oh right. You're going to Everton after CHS." The blue boy bobbed his head. "Must be nice having the future planned out ahead of time."

"Well… for the next six or seven years at least, depending on my research and possible funding. But yeah. My future is quite set at the moment. How about you? What are your plans after graduation?"

"Me? Well… I'm not so sure." He shrugged. "Never really thought about it."

"What? Don't tell me that the popular Flash Sentry doesn't have a goal. Don't you have some kind of plan or career path you've always wanted to do?"

"I'm more of a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Other than music, I can't really picture myself doing anything. I mean… can you imagine me working in an office or a workshop?"

Twilight wanted to counter but found that the boy had a good point. Flash's family was practically living the 1% life. His old man was practically swimming in money, and soon enough he'll become the next mayor of Canterlot City. With all that wealth and power, Flash could literally live the rest of his life in luxurious comfort. And there's no way he was going to be a politician or a civil worker. The guy doesn't have the attitude for it.

"Huh… that is true." She admitted. "I guess being rich doesn't open a lot of doors for you."

"It does." He corrected. "Just not the ones I want."

"Well… I'm sure you'll find something. I mean nothing is set in stone. Firstly we need to find a way to get home."

"Oh I got that part covered." With a quick motion, Flash reached into his jacket and pulled out the figurine, handing it over like it was a gift. Twilight recognized it instantly, her eyes bulging from their sockets.

"The Portal Stone!" She snatched it, staring at the object in disbelief. "But how…? When?"

"I went over to the shop while you were out playing in the game stalls."

"But I thought you said that Autumn didn't have enough to pay for it."

"Oh she didn't. But luckily for you, I did." He gave out a smug grin. "I traded my pin for it."

Twilight's jaw went slacked. "Wait… you… you traded away your mother's pin?"

"I figured that lady was interested in shiny things when she wanted your geode. So I figured she'd trade it for another shiny thing."

"But Flash…! That pin is…"

"It means nothing to me." He cut her off. "Like I said… I never knew my mom. She passed away long before I could remember. As far as I'm concerned, that pin was just a pretty stone."

"Won't your dad be mad?"

"You let me worry about that."

Twilight held the Portal Stone up, eyeing it wither some hint of reverence. For the last three days this little figurine had been the object of her greatest desire. She was ready to do almost anything to get it. Even that evil voice in her head tempted her to great lengths. But now that she had it in her hand and knowing the cost that came with it, she didn't really know how to feel.

She should be happy. She should be ecstatic. Jumping around with joy like Pinkie Pie in one of her sugar-dosed phases. The key to getting home was literally within her grasp.

"Flash… I…" And thus, out of all the logical thinking she could muster, she couldn't bear with it. "I can't accept this."

"You can." Flash nodded, pushing the figurine back to her. "And I'd do it again for you. Like I said before: You're important to me Twilight. And compared to that pin, you're a million times more precious."

Twilight couldn't fight back a blush anymore. She wanted to say something. Something that would show her appreciation and gratitude. But before her lungs could conjure the words, a brilliant array of lights snatched their attention.

Sizzling sounds from the village whistled towards the stars exploding in the night sky, decorating it with a multitude of shapes and colors. Twilight was grateful. Because the noise covered the sudden beating in her heart.

"Thanks… Flash." She said finally earning his trademark smile.

"Anytime…" He held up his hand and she accepted the gesture, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. "Uh… Twilight?"

Huh?

She looked at her hands finding her body gleaming with a familiar glow. Her pony ears and tails sprung up followed by the wings sprouting from her back. Magic coursed through her body, leaking out from her fingernails threatening to explode.

"Ok that never happened before."

**_"No… that can't be…"_**

"Twilight? What's…" Flash never got a chance to finish when Twilight pulled her hand away only to find the Portal Stone vibrating in her grasp. Its eyes gleamed with power before it tore a portal right in front of them. "Twilight!?"

"It's not me! I'm…" And like a vacuum, the portal pulled them in with nary a care whether they desired it or not. They tried to call for help but the sound of fireworks masked their pleas. Before long, they couldn't hold and they were quickly sucked through the whirling pool just as it closed.

"Tada!" Autumn announced her arrival with a platter of snacks. "Two orders of pickled sandwiches straight from the kitchen!" Her smile faded however when she found no reply. "Guys?" She looked around at the empty landscape. "Guys?"

xxxxxxxxxx

The two teens let out a childish scream as their bodies flung through the portal dropping them in what appears to be another realm entirely.

Flash dropped in first smacking his head on something hard before Twilight followed in, her hands reaching out to grab onto something only to fumble on the grip bringing down curtains and metal bars down on top of them. The two of them wondered if this was going to be a recurring habit. Them being tossed into portals and thrown around like sacks of grain.

Thankfully the drop was short so the damage was minimal. Still… it was not a pleasant drop.

"Ow…" The boy groaned loudly, feeling a sense of déjà vu as his previous injuries began to resurface. "Why~~~~?"

"Oh… my head." Twilight agreed on that pained notion. "Flash! Are you ok?"

"No." His answer was pained and gruff, like sandpaper. "You know you could've given me a heads up before you tried something."

"It wasn't me. I swear! My body just ponied up by itself. The next thing I know this Portal Stone activated."

"Well at least I can say with certainty now: I hate portals." He groaned painfully as he placed one hand over his sides feeling the soreness return. "Next time we do a cross-country trip, I'm taking my dad's private jet. That seems like a much safer way to travel."

"I'm so sorry. Ow… where can I go around here?"

"You can start by taking your hand off my ribs." He pointed out which the girl quickly complied. "Where are we?"

"I don't know. I can't see anything." Her fingers fumbled around but quickly realized that the place they were thrown into was pitched black. "Wait. I found something."

"What is it?"

"I think it's a set of knobs of some kind." With nothing left to lose, she turned it, only to have cold water sprinkle all over them. "Gwahh! Cold cold cold cold cold!"

"Yeow! Turn it off!"

"I'm trying!" She reached out, but the water pouring over them made it difficult to find the right knob. "This isn't working!"

"Spin it the other way!"

"There are a bunch of knobs here. I don't know which one!" She turned another which made the water boiling. "Gahh! Now it's hot! Hot hot hot hot!"

"Twilight, you're making it worse!"

"I'm trying my best here! Stop squiggling for a minute!"

"That's easy for you to say when you're not the one drowning down here!"

"Wait wait! I think I got it!" She turned a third knob but that only made a second source of water pour over the poor boy. "Or… not."

But thankfully, before Flash could throw in a sarcastic comment, a pair of footsteps rushed in, storming through a door they didn't know existed. "Alright. Who's there!?" It demanded, raising what looked like a baseball bat in its hand. "I know you're in here so you might as well show yourself!"

Wait a minute…

Twilight recognized that voice. And that silhouette…

"Cadance?"

The figure by the door reacted to the name, pausing for a brief moment before reaching for the light switch, turning it on and illuminating the room.

"Twilight?" Her soon to be sister-in-law gasped, lowering her weapon. "What are you doing here?" Her eyes fell upon the figure at the bottom. "And who… is… _that?_"

It didn't take long for Twilight to figure out where she was. The walls alone were a dead giveaway.

She was home…

… or to be more precise - she was in her bathroom, sitting atop a boy soaked from head to toe while her old babysitter watched on the sideline.

This was definitely going to make for an awkward conversation later.

xxxxxxxxxx

"So… let me get this straight." Cadence sat down with a hot cup of coco as Twilight finished up her journey in a long winded explanation. "You were out fighting a giant shadow monster in Freefall Island which caused Castle Hoofbeard to collapse."

"Yup…" The little nerd gal bobbed her head in agreement as she held a cup of coco in her hand, taking a quick sip in. The simple sweet taste of chocolate immediately wiped away all the pickle in her tongue leaving it in the lovely embrace of sugar.

"And in the ensuing battle, you were teleported to some desert land in Saddle Arabia and have been stranded there for the last three days."

"Correct." Twilight nodded. It was pretty much the simplified version of the story leaving a few key details out.

Naturally of course, Cadance didn't take it all quite well. She quietly took her seat by the table, taking a quick sip from her mug as she tried to process everything that she heard. "It's not that I don't believe you Twilight. I mean… I have seen magic firsthand during the Friendship Games and a few more times afterward. But this is all just so…"

Weird? Bizarre? Weirdly bizarre and out of this world? She'd agree on all of those in a heartbeat.

"I know it's a lot to take in. But that's what really happened."

"And honestly, I believe you. And it'd certainly explain why you haven't called these last few days. We all still thought that you were hanging out with your friends. If your parents find out about this, they'd be furious."

"Yeah… about that." Twilight chuckled awkwardly. "I was kind of hoping we could keep this between us instead of telling this to everyone."

Cadance gave her a look. The stern look of a Principal. "Twilight. You know I can't lie to your parents or your brother. It's not right." She was lucky that both her parents and Shining Armor were out doing some last minute shopping. Otherwise they would've been here to witness this whole magical phenomenon firsthand. And that'll be a parent-teacher meeting she didn't want to attend.

"Please? If they find out about this whole mess, they'll totally freak. You know how overprotective Shining Armor can be." Far more than she'd like to remember. The guy can be a real big bad bear when he wants to. When Twilight was in grade school, he'd be the one stalking her in the playgrounds making sure that she wasn't getting bullied. He almost got a restraining-order at one point. "Please Cadance? For old time's sake? Sunshine sunshine, ladybugs awake?"

The former Principal's face softened at the mention of those words. "Clap your hands and do a little shake." They shared a short laugh. "Alright. I'll keep it to myself. But if do something dangerous again, all bets are off. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Deal."

"Now, on another matter." Cadance's eyes wandered over to the bathroom where Flash was, fixing himself with some new threads. "What's the deal with him?"

Twilight raised a brow. "What? Flash? I told you: He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Does he also have magic?"

"No. He's just… a really helpful guy." She paused. "If it wasn't for him, I'd probably still be stuck on the other side of the world going crazy out of my mind."

"Well if that's the case then I'm glad that he was there with you." Cadance grinned. "For a moment there I thought you were trading him for Timber."

"Cadance?"

"I'm just kidding Twilly. You know how I am when it comes to these things." She giggled cutely. "He is pretty cute though."

"Cadance!" The boy in question thankfully came out a few seconds later, limping on his leg. "Flash! How're you feeling?"

"Well my leg still hurts and my back aches." He replied, gesturing to his injuries. "But other than that, I feel perfectly fine. And hey… we got back safely and… we didn't die either. So that's a plus. Thanks for the change of clothes by the way."

Cadance waved it off coolly. "Don't mention it. Those were some of Shining's old clothes anyway. I was planning to throw them out after the holidays. But I'm glad we found some use for it." And surprisingly enough the shirt fits. "What are your plans now?"

Flash shrugged. "Well… I figure I should probably get home before my dad starts to panic."

"You sure you don't want to stay a while?" Twilight asked. "You're still hurt. Mom and dad will be back soon and we can take you to a hospital."

"It's not that bad." He waved it off, giving her a reassuring smile. "Nothing a little rest can't fix. Besides, now that I'm back, I'm going to spoil myself a bit and eat everything that I've been missing for the last three days."

"I'll drive him." Cadance offered to which he accepted. "My car's out front. I'll get the keys." She quietly went off, leaving the two behind in momentary silence.

…

"So…" They said in unison which in turn made them blush. "Oh sorry…" And again. "You go ahead…" And a third time.

"Well I guess this is it." Flash managed to get through first.

"Yeah…" She nodded. "It's been one heck of a ride. Sorry for… the whole… teleporting mishap. And your leg."

"What? This thing?" He patted his wound. "It's a trophy. Who else in the world can claim that they saw some magic wielding sorceresses fight off a giant shadow monster and lived to tell the tale? I am going to remember this adventure for a long time. I only wish I could brag about it to all my friends. Besides, that just means I got another scar to impress the ladies."

Twilight snickered. He wouldn't be wrong about that. "Well if you're interested in getting more battle scars, I'll be sure to give you a call."

"Really?" His expression beamed.

"Really." She nodded. "Despite what Sunset might think or say, you've been a great help. Not just to me but everyone on the team. It'd be nice to have someone else help us out whenever some evil magic stirs. And on a personal note: If I were to be stranded on a desert wasteland in the middle of nowhere, on the other side of the world. I know who I'd like to spend it with."

"I'll hold you to that." He gave her a pat on the shoulder before they heard a loud screeching noise coming from outside.

"That must be Shining Armor. I should probably say hi." She quickly slip to the doorway opening it, expecting to see her brother on the other side, equally surprised to see her arrive.

But instead they were greeted by blinding lights of red and blue and a horde of uniformed officers surrounding the premises.

"Flash Sentry! This is the Police! Stay right where you are!"


	44. Home

**Chapter 44: Home**

**(Flash's house)**

"I can't believe your dad actually called in the whole police force!" Twilight's voice boomed over the phone in a cacophony of laughs and disbelief. And honestly, Flash couldn't blame her for that kind of reaction.

For a moment there he thought that he was being placed under arrest or something. But later they discovered that his old man had called up a favor from the police commissioner putting out a city-wide search for him. Apparently his disappearance was taken far more serious than it deemed necessary.

"Tell me about it." He trailed his hand down his face rubbing the embarrassment off his cheeks. "I don't think I've been that scared before."

"You were with us when we fought the giant snake monster."

"Yeah… but he was mostly fighting you girls. These guys were looking for me. Literally just me. I thought I was in trouble. It was terrifying."

"You think that was terrifying? You should've seen my parents when they saw our whole neighborhood surrounded by police. Shining Armor was practically having a fit."

"Yeah, but you weren't the one who got put in a police cruiser."

"It wasn't THAT bad."

"Really? You try having police take you in for questioning. I thought I was being arrested. It was horrible!" It really was. At first he thought that having heavily armed men and women watching your every move was really cool, but after the glamor was done he just found them frightening to be with. He heard Twilight chuckling on the other line, clearly amused after the whole fiasco was done. "I still can't believe my dad is actually friends with Commissioner Wind Rider. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore considering he's going to be the new Mayor."

"How did they find you in the first place?"

"Apparently the police tried tracing my phone." The boy explained with a soft sigh. "It must've activated again when we came through the portal."

"So what did you do?" She paused. A hint of dread filling in her tone. "You didn't tell them about…"

"About the whole magic thing? No way." He answered like it was the most obvious thing to do. "Like anyone would believe that. I just left it out. I told them that I was in Castle Hoofbeard when it collapsed and I was unconscious. You were there spending your vacation and you just happened to find me on the beach."

It was a far more believable story without magic thrown into the mix. Not to mention it explained how he got his injuries too. And seeing that the castle collapse was on the news, it made some sense. The police didn't really seem to mind it. They were content knowing that he was alive and so was his dad.

"Wait… does that make me your savior? That's pretty cool."

He laughed. "Yup. That would mean I… owe you my life." A snicker could be heard on the other line. "Anyway. My dad placed me under house arrest until my leg gets better. He wanted to get me a wheelchair and planned to turn the whole house upside down to accommodate me, but I was able to talk him down to a walking stick."

"Really? Didn't he take you to a hospital?"

"Nope. He actually brought in a private doctor just for me. I didn't even know we had one of those until today." He paused. "As a matter of fact… I don't remember ever going to the hospital before."

"Another perk for being rich?"

"Eh… if you could call it that. But I did get a cool cast around my feet. Oh and you might wanna brace yourself. My dad is thinking of rewarding you for _'Saving'_ my life."

"I'll be sure to act all modest." The girl let out an adorable laugh as a doorbell sound could be heard. "That must be Sunset and the others. I should go. But I'll… call you again tomorrow?"

"Looking forward to it." And with that last goodbye, the line went dead.

Flash later returned to his bed, feeling the soft and smooth beddings on his skin. It was a welcome change to the haystack back in the ranch. Even that quick shower earlier cleansed his body of three days' worth of sand and filth. And the food… the FOOD! A feast was prepared for him upon his return and it was divine. He made a mental note to tell his old man to give the chefs a good raise.

*Woof!*

Bananas hopped on his chest giving his master a good lick on the cheek.

"Aww… I missed you too buddy. Sorry for disappearing on you like that. But it was the spur of the moment." He gave the little mutt a belly rub which it laid on its back, letting out a pleasing whine. "You won't believe what I went through. First ponies, then portals and pirates?" It gave out a whimper. "I know that following those girls can be dangerous. It's been a crazy school life, but it certainly isn't boring, I'll tell you that."

*Woof!*

"Alright fine. I guess you deserve three days' worth of belly rub you little spoiled mutt." A knock on his door interrupted his petting. "Come in."

It was his butler who appeared. "Master Flash. Your father requests your presence in his studies."

Ah… it's probably time for him to face the music. With a begrudging nod he left his bed and brought out his walking stick.

xxxxxxxxxx

Thankfully his dad's study room wasn't far from his own. It was right next to the vault where all the Yaztec stuff were kept.

_"Huh… that reminds me. I need to ask Twilight about that cup."_

Flash gave the door a gentle knock, a part of him hoping that his old man wouldn't answer.

"It's open." No such luck there. Slowly he turned the knob and enter, finding his old man walking around with his phone, busily talking with someone on the other line. "Yes. I've handled everything. Thank you Luna. Please send my regards to Lesty."

Lesty? Was that some kind of nickname?

"Flash!" The boy tensed up to the call of his name. His father approached him with heavy panicked steps. He expected a scolding like that time he used up his account to hire a construction company to fix Applejack's barn. But instead his old man moved in and pulled him to a tight and awkward hug.

"Uh… dad?"

"Oh thank the heavens you're alright." He quickly pulled away and began his inspection. The man poked the boy's head, flashed a light on his eye and even got him to say ah. "Are you ok son? How are you feeling? Do you feel nauseous? Any aches? Pains or discomfort?"

"I'm fine dad. Really."

"Are you sure?" The man pulled out a stethoscope and placed it over the boy's chest. Why does he have one of those in the first place? "Hmm… regular heartbeats. A little fast. Could be because of your diet. I'll have Edmund make some adjustment to your meal."

"The doctor gave me a clean bill of health dad. You can stop panicking. And… personal space, please."

He retracted his arms and coughed lowly in his hand. "Sorry son. It's just that… I was extremely worried when Edmund told me that you didn't show up at home. You shouldn't go exploring on your own like that. Especially in dark damp castles. What were you even doing in that place anyway?"

"I uh… wanted to see the castle myself." That made sense, right? "I figured it'll be nice to see our property. Besides, I kinda wanted to see how it feels to be an archeologist. I mean… you've been doing it for a while. And if you can do it, how hard can it be?"

"That's nice of you to say, son. And I admire that you're taking after me. But in all my expeditions, I normally have a small army of personnel by my side. You can't just go delving into unstable ruins without some manner of preparations. This isn't like your movies or videogames. You're lucky you suffered just a minor injury. A collapse like that would've been dangerous."

"Yeah… lucky."

"Which is why I'm implementing a new security detail on you."

Flash gawked. "Wait… what?"

"Seeing as I will be officially running for mayor next week, and you being as you are right now. I think it's the perfect time for you to have someone help you. I thought maybe you'd feel safer having someone watch over you just in case you run into another situation like the one in Freefall Island."

"You mean like… a helper?"

"A bodyguard." The long haired man corrected. "Several of them in fact."

Several!? Flash shivered at the thought of having just one. He dreaded the day when his old man would consider such a thing. Heck, he could already imagine himself walking around with hulking musclemen following his every step like his own shadow. That was going to make school and every other social event from then on… very awkward from there on.

"I have a number of trusted friends in both Private Security firms and other specialist company." Sombra produced a folder from his jacket, placing it on the table with the photo of several scary looking faces looking back at him.

"How about… no?"

"No?"

"I don't think I really need a private security around me."

"Your recent accident begs me to disagree, son. Besides, this is for your safety. And your safety is my greatest concern. And you can't count on your friends to be there all the time to save you from unexpected collapse."

He had a point but Flash wasn't keen on the idea of having a hulking tank shadowing his every move. "Look. I know I messed up back there. I shouldn't have gone in on my own. And I promise it won't happen again. Besides… my days exploring is behind me until I get this off." He gestured to his cast. "Can you reconsider this, for me? At least until it's absolutely necessary."

Sombra gave him a neutral look. He cast a glance over to the folder on the table once more before looking back at his son. A number of scenarios played in his head before he finally made his decision.

"Very well."

Flash blinked. "Really?"

"I understand that such a change can be… difficult and unwelcoming to you. And seeing as you won't be going around doing anything remotely dangerous with that leg… I'm inclined to rescind this order." He slowly returned to his desk, putting the folder in the cupboard. "But if you decide to go against my wishes and put yourself in a peculiar perilous position again, I will assign a bodyguard to hawk over you whether you like it or not. Agreed?"

Not much of a choice there. "Absolutely."

"Good." Sombra's expression softened. "Now that we have that out of the way, let's move on to more pleasant discussions." He pulled out a small box from his jacket next, placing it on the table. "I got you a little something while you were away." The boy sat down and opened it revealing a slick looking phone inside.

"It's… a phone."

"Yes. I've been assured that this was the latest model in the market. And considering your old one close to its um… last leg, I thought the timing was rather convenient." Flash looked to his old phone which was full of cracks and sand and compared it to the one in front of him. "Happy Winter Holiday, son."

"Wow dad… thanks." He scratched his head shyly in reply. "I wish I got you something to. It's kind of hard to get you a gift."

"Just having you around is gift enough, son. Don't worry about it." Sombra let out a chuckle before noting something. "Speaking of which… where's your mother's pin? The one I gave to you."

Flash buckled at the thought. "Oh! Th… that little thing? It's umm…" He looked around. "I don't know. It… must've fallen off when I was in the castle. Sorry dad."

"Oh… that's… a shame." There was a jarring expression on his father's face. He looked… pained. But it only lasted for a moment before he lightened back. "Well it's a trivial matter compared to you. Run along now and get some rest. We can speak more tomorrow."

**(Celestia/Luna's Apartment)**

Luna felt a good weigh of relief fall off her shoulders when she laid her phone to rest. While it came to a rather mediocre conclusion, she had to admit that she was glad that nothing major occurred from Flash's disappearance. She expected some kind of magical mumbo jumbo or some other demon to be mixed up in all of this but thankfully it didn't.

From what she gathered on Sombra's incoherent blabbering and Police reports, Flash was inside Castle Hoofbeard when it collapsed. He was trapped there for a day or two until Twilight Sparkle found him on the beach.

A likely story, which she would've believed too had she not know what these girls were up to. She knew them well enough to see some of the lies they spout up. She'll have to interrogate Sunset Shimmer about the whole thing later but right now she was just relieved to know that the boy was safe and sound.

Luna dreaded and wondered what would've happened if he was gone a little longer. Sombra was practically about to call in the army. And that kind of news would undoubtedly affect the school's reputation. Something her sister wouldn't want in a million years now that she had built it to what it is now.

And speaking of whom.

"Luna!" Celestia barged through the door panting heavily like she had been running through a marathon. It was a rare sight to see her shriveled like that. She prided herself for being perfect in any situation. But this was probably the exception. Noticing her sister by the table, she rushed to her side, panicked. "I'm so sorry. The meeting with the Board of Education took longer than I expected. I just received the news. Tell me everything. No… wait. I should probably call Sombra and asked him for the details. Or maybe… no. It's late. He's probably asleep by now. Never mind. Just give it to me straight. Why aren't you talking Luna?"

The younger sibling took a casual sip off her coco, savoring the aroma and the sight of her sister's crazed moment. It's not every day you get to see her like this.

"Hello to you too, sister." She said as coolly as she could. "I'm fine by the way. How are you?"

"Luna! This isn't the time for one of your childish drivel. One of our students is missing!"

"Yes I know." Luna grabbed the sugar shaker from the table and made a few drops on her cup. "I was the one who sent you the message after all."

"Right, of course." Celestia bobbed her head in realization. "But still… how bad is it?"

"I'm afraid it's not good, sister." She gave a low deathly tone earning a dreaded look from her elder. "The police found Flash's car crashed at the edge of Everfree Woods."

"Crashed!?"

"Yes. It looks like he was on another one of his 'Lonesome drives'. They think he was meeting with someone but something went awry."

"Oh no."

"They found trace that he got out of the crash."

"Oh thank goodness."

"But he was badly hurt."

"Oh no!"

"And they suspect that he was preyed upon by large Timberwolves!"

"Timberwolves!?" Celestia's face went pale. A single scenario went through her mind and it horrified her. She was about to go on full panic mod if she hadn't noticed that grin on her sister's face. "L… Luna!"

"Gotcha." The moon lady let out a chuckle, setting her cup aside. "Ha! You should've seen your face sister. It was hilarious."

"I… I don't… what?"

"You can relax. Flash is safe." Luna added as she watched her sister fall face first on the table. "They found him a few hours ago. He's back home. Safe and sound." She gave that last sentence a thought. "Well… as safe as he can be given the circumstances."

"For goodness sakes Luna. You know I don't like your pranks."

"Oh lighten up sister. The situation is resolved and no one got hurt." Again she pause. "Well… except for Flash. He got a bum leg. But just that."

Celestia lightened up, before grabbing a bottle of cider from the fridge. "That's a relief. I'll have to give Sombra a call later. I'm just so tuckered about my meeting with the Board of Education."

"What did those bloodsuckers want this time?"

Celestia chuckled at the name. She had to agree that they were indeed vampires in a sense. "Well for starters… we might need to cut back on our school spending."

"AGAIN!?" Luna groaned. "Why!? I thought we did so well? We even gave that vampire, Neighsay, a whole office all for himself. Did he sell us out?"

"No." She interrupted. "In fact, Neighsay's response was quite… neutral, if I'm being completely honest. There's actually been a development here in Canterlot. The Board have decided to allocate funds for the construction of a new wing to another school here. And with the fire from a few weeks ago, they want to make sure that it's full-proof."

"Let me guess… Everton Academy." The Principal nodded. "Ugh… dang it! That's the third time this year alone! How much more can they take? At the rate they're going, they'll be slashing our budget to an inch of its life."

"True… but it is an impressive setup." Celestia shrugged. "They say it'll be an indoor swimming pool this time."

Oh great! So those snotty professors and their college kids will literally be swimming in their money. Damn Everton. Getting everything they want just because they're the finest school in the country, boasting the highest rate of graduates who end up becoming successful individuals. Hmph… she'd like to see those guys deal with crazy magic on a monthly basis.

How much would it cost to have someone burn the place down?

"So much for a glorious New Year."

"It's not that bad Luna."

"Sister… we're at home. You don't have to defend them. I know you hate this just as much as I do."

"Of course I hate it!" Oh wow, that's a 180 change in attitude. Celestia practically threw her hands up in the air spilling some of her cider. "Do you think I enjoy watching money slip away from my school!? I hate those high riding teachers in Everton. Every time we make a tour there for our students they always sneer at us, thinking like we're lesser beings. Ooooh… what I wouldn't give for one moment when I can embarrass that Superintendent of theirs in front of the whole school."

Luna blinked, somewhat impressed and afraid of what Celestia planned.

"Ooo…kay? As much as I want to see what you have in store for our competitor. Why don't we discuss our options to compensate for our lack of funds?"

Celestia gave her a pointed look before answering. "Bake sale?"

Yup… we're doomed.

**(Twilight's house)**

Twilight loves her friends very dearly. They were practically her extended family. But like family, they had a habit of being a little… overly protective. And this right now was a perfect example.

"Oh Twilight Twilight. I missed you so so so so much! I thought we'd never see you again." Pinkie Pie was practically all over the little nerd hugging and rubbing cheeks like she was attached to the hip. "I'm so glad that you weren't crushed by a million ton of earth, rock and dirt!"

"I wasn't worried one bit." Spike tried to act tough but his waggling tail and sniffling nose betrayed his words.

"Yesh Pwinkwee… meeeh too." Twilight tried to pry herself off, but the girl would simply not budge. "Gwuys? A liffle heflp?"

Applejack laughed before finally deciding to pull the bubblegum gal off. "I gotcha Sugar Cube. But I understand Pinkie's feeling right now. I'm glad you're back."

"We all are, darling." Rarity added in agreement stealing a hug from their friend. "You must've been scared beyond belief. Trapped on the other side of the world?"

"Alone…" Fluttershy shivered.

"In an unknown environment…"

"Without anyway of communicating…"

"And without an extra pair of clothes!? Goodness. That must've been quite an ordeal."

Twilight shrugged. "It wasn't that bad. That whole incident was actually kind of… productive. I made a whole new stride on our mysterious order and learned a whole new culture to boot. And I wasn't entirely alone." A smile crossed her face when a certain blue haired rocker came to mind. "Luckily Flash was there to keep me centered. He was most helpful even without his money. But anyway. Mind giving me the details on what happened while I wasn't around?"

"Where do we even begin?" It was Sunset who answered with a sigh. "Well… after that whole incident in Castle Hoofbeard, things have been pretty crazy. We found out what Hoity Toity is planning and how he plans to do it."

…

…

…

"A mass mind control!?" Twilight gasped after hearing the whole incident. "That's… insane."

The fashionista agreed on that notion. "Believe me darling. I wouldn't have believed it myself if Vignette didn't just tried to attack me and forced me to wear one of her ridiculous leather outfits. There was certainly very little style in her fashion. And it was all very action-packed."

"Pretty much anyone wearing anything from his store is probably under his spell." Sunset stated. "And now he's planning to do it on a city-wide scale."

Rainbow Dash quickly pulled out a roll of newspaper showing the headline. "After his pageant show, his store will be holding a special sale. 1% off everything."

"Just one percent? That doesn't sound like much of a sale."

Rarity scoffed. "Trust me on this Twilight. It might not sound like much to you. But to the rich and famous, that's pretty much a grandiose deal of a lifetime. No rich folk in Uptown will be able to resist!"

"Which is fine for Hoity seeing as he's only aiming to brainwash the rich and powerful." Sunset finished. "And with all those people under his thumb, he'll be unstoppable."

It was a good plan. A clever plan. Even Twilight had to admit that it was also quite sneaky. If Hoity can turn a bunch of fashion designers into his personal servants to expand his operations, she dread what he could do with all that wealth.

"Ok… so what do we do?" The gang looked at one another, enduringly. "Please tell me you guys have a plan on stopping it."

"We're… kinda in the planning stage." Sunset admitted. "But we do know he's planning something big on his pageant show on that resort in Freefall Island. If anything was going to happen, it'll be there."

"I say we'd take the direct approach. We Pony-up and storm his shop. Take him on from there. I don't give a hoot how important he is. No one drops a castle on me and gets away with it."

"I can't believe I'm saying this… but I agree with Rainbow Dash." Applejack took Rainbow's side much to the surprise of her friends. "I know that he's famous and all. But knowing what this guy is gonna do makes it all worth it. Storming that place head on like a bull in a china shop is bound to get his attention."

"But he won't be alone." Rarity reminded them. "Remember he has Vignette and the other contestant under his thumb. Along with hundred others who are all under his spell."

"That'll be the biggest problem." Sunset pointed out. "We have no idea how to tell who are hypnotized… or how many there are."

"All the more reason we should charge in." Rainbow Dash thrust her fist forward. "Get him where he'd least expect it. Right at his home. We'd take him down and force him to let go of the folks he brainwashed."

Twilight couldn't believe it but it would seem like a direct assault was the best plan they had at the moment. And the sad part was that she agreed. If they stormed his shop right now they could probably catch him unaware.

"Let's not be too hasty." Again Sunset protested upon the plan. "Remember what happened last time we fought in the city? A whole city block burned down." Technically that was Flash's fault but no one was blaming him for it… yet. "We need to strategize. Come up with a plan that'll not just help us but those who are caught by Hoity." She turned to Pinkie and Fluttershy who remained strangely quiet till now. "What about you two? You guys were watching him all day. Did you see anything or notice anything in particular?"

The bubbly gal answered first after a brief thought. "Well… now that you mentioned it. Hoity did look a tad bit… strange. Well… stranger than usual."

Fluttershy nodded in agreement. "He was kind of… nervous? He didn't exactly look happy. Like… the opposite of happy. Umm… I guess that's… unhappy."

"Yeah! Totally! He was fidgeting, looking over his shoulder and even close his office! He was like… super scared of something."

"He probably knows that we're out to get him." Rainbow pumped her fists together, showing a small grin.

"If he did then he certainly did something about it." The gang turned to their resident party animal. "He beefed up his security like… a lot. We saw big burly guards everywhere. Inside, outside, in-between the inside and out! He even got those fancy security cameras."

So much for the frontal assault. No doubt the new guards he hired were part of his hypnotized goons. If they're there, they'll fight for Hoity with little choice in the matter. And the last thing they need is getting other people hurt.

"If only there was a way to get rid of all those mind controlled minions."

Rainbow Dash snapped her finger. "Hey, what about that spell you learned earlier, Sunset? The one that can push away dark magic."

The former unicorn sighed dishearteningly. "It's a counter for shadow magic. A banishment spell of sorts. I can probably use it to get rid of whatever it is that's controlling those people in a wide area."

"Then that's our ticket!"

"But…" Of course there's a but. There's always a but. "It takes up a lot of magic. And I'm not proficient enough to use it continuously."

"What about that doohickey thing you used earlier?" Applejack reminded. "That necklace thing. When you put that thing on, you practically had enough power to teleport all of us out that castle."

"That item has a… few flaws to work over. Let's just say we'll only use it for emergencies. We need another way to remove that shadow monster's influence."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Rainbow Dash stomped her feet impatiently. "We can't just sit around and do nothing. The pageant is in a few days. And if leave that guy be he'll have the whole city eating from the palm of his hand."

"We're gonna do something about it. That's why we're all here."

"Guys. GUYS!" Twilight shouted, silencing the gang before they resort to bickering. "Before we start arguing. We can all agree that Hoity needs to be stopped. But if we're really going to fight him again, we need to be prepared. And it's going to take more than the seven of us to take him down."

"Hey!"

"Sorry Spike." She chuckled. "Eight of us."

Sunset gave her best friend a curious but intriguing look. "I take it you have a plan?"

Twilight smirked, turning to her phone. "I need to make a few calls."

**(Midtown Apartment)**

It was a quiet night in the Sirens' apartment.

Well… about as quiet as Adagio would like considering that she was living with the two biggest idiots in the world. Sonata was watching cartoons, for god knows why. It was just a bunch of colorful characters being caught in absolutely ridiculous scenarios. Nonetheless, if it was keeping her busy, she wasn't going to complain. So long as the volume was down.

Aria on the other hand was filling out another one of those quizzes on those silly teen magazines. Apparently it's a bunch of questions to find out whether you're compatible with a certain celebrity or not. And she wasn't even taking it seriously. She just changes the answers when she doesn't get the result she wanted.

All in all, it was just another boring day.

Until… her phone buzzed.

She looked at the screen not recognizing the number. The only number she had were those of her sisters, the apartment manager, and rarely… work related acquaintances.

Ugh… if it was another one of those ad-calls with those monotone voice recorders, she was gonna blow something up.

With some reluctance, she answered. "Yes?"

"Adagio? It's me."

The mood in the apartment changed almost abruptly as Adagio's expression. Her sisters felt the change and immediately turned her way, curious. Very few things in this world could get a reaction out of her.

"Lover Boy~~." She cooed seductively to the phone, leaning back on her chair and putting one leg up on the table. "This is a welcome surprise. I haven't heard from you for a while. You never write, you never call. I'm beginning to think you might've forgotten about me." She could hear the boy on the other line chuckle softly, imagining his flustered expression.

"There's no way anyone would forget you, Adagio."

"Good answer. But I take it this isn't a social ca…"

"I'm actually calling in one of that _'favors'_ you owe me." He interjected which made the Siren blink.

With an authoritative motion she snapped her fingers signaling her sisters to quiet down. Sonata turned off the TV and Aria put her pencil down.

An evil grin showed itself on her face as she leaned closer to her phone.

"What can I… do for you?"


	45. Pageant Show Down

**Chapter 45: Pageant Show Down**

**(Freefall Island Resort) (A few days later)**

It was a gathering of the year.

That was probably the headline many journalists thought of when they gathered outside of the resort. Cameras flashed endlessly as celebrities and important dignitaries from afar walked through the red carpet.

Hoity watched each and every one of them wave coolly at the cameras giving out sharp and dignified looks, pretending to be someone they're not. And while all of these hapless sheep slowly entered his domain, he couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle.

Everything he had planned was coming into motion. All those weeks of planning and months of pre-planning were finally about to pay off. By the time anyone knew what was going on it'll be too late. All the rich and powerful will be under his command. He'll carve an empire all on his own with the power he accumulated.

Just a few hours more before the show starts.

"Mr. Toity." The man was brought out of his world dominating mindset when his secretary arrived. "More than half of the guests have arrived. The seating arrangements have been made. However a few of them have decided to explore the resort's offerings before the main event."

"Good. Very good." He could barely contain his grin. "They'll return to the show when the time comes. These wealthy clientele can be very demanding. Have Filthy Rich deal with them. I'm sure he'll enjoy having his pockets lined up with even more money."

The secretary nodded. "As you wish, sir. Oh and before I go on. We do have a bit of a problem. There's a bit of damage done to the women's restroom on the first floor, the electrical wiring have caused some of our computers to malfunction, and it would seem that some of the animals in the petting zoo have somehow managed to escape the resort causing some mischief."

"That has nothing to do with me. Relay all of that to Filthy. This resort is his problem, not mine."

"Of course. And as you instructed, I came to inform you that Sir Fancy Pants has arrived."

Ah… Fancy Pants. His old friend and now contended rival. His appearance here was simply a bonus. Watching that old coot see him win big on a global scale will just be the extra spice for this dish.

"Excellent! I should greet the old horse. Wouldn't want to miss this moment to gloat." With a skip in his steps, the man headed down to the lounge where many of his guests had gathered. Thankfully his mark wasn't so difficult to find as the old badger always stuck out of the crowd like a sore thumb.

Fancy Pants noted his 'friend's' approach and folded his arms, clearly displeased for attending such a show. Hoity made a mental note to laugh on that later.

"Hoity…"

"Fancy Pants, old chum. Fancy meeting you here. I didn't think you'd come after that mediocre show at the mall."

Fancy Pants scoffed at his whimsically triumphant tone. "Oh please. Dispense with the pleasantries. There are no cameras in here."

"Oh come now. Surely you can spare a smile for your old buddy. I thought you came for me."

"Perhaps if you hadn't changed your ways, I might've. But sadly I'm not here because of you."

Hoity chuckled. "Of course not. You're just here expecting something to go wrong. And when it does, you'll be there to laugh it in front of my face. You sure are petty, old friend."

"I'm more concerned about how many people you have here." The wiser gentleman pointed out. "Look at this place. It's packed full to the brim."

"I only sent a few hundred invites. I thought you like it small."

Fancy's eyes sharpened. "Listen here you… glory hog." Glory hog? How original. "Just because you're ahead in the fashion business doesn't mean you can be so arrogant."

"But Fancy… what's the point of being rich and famous if you can't rub it in other people's faces?" The soon to be overlord casually placed his arm over his old co-worker, grinning like a cat. "Come on. Live a little. Enjoy the resort. I'll even cover whatever you take. For old time's sake."

The gentleman brushed his arm away, rudely. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. If it weren't for our mutual friend, I'd be on the next flight back to Manehattan."

Mutual friend?

"Fancy! Hoity!" A voice called out to them making the two turn their heads to the source. "Sorry for the delay. Those reporters outside are ruthless."

"Sombra?" Hoity blinked. Partly confused but also partly joyous. "I wasn't aware you were coming. I sent you the invite but you never replied."

The future mayor of the city shrugged boringly. "Oh it was a last minute thing. Honestly, I don't really come to these kinds of event unless I'm hosting them. But my son insisted on coming."

His… son?

"Y… your son?"

Sombra nodded back. "Flash. He's right here." Hoity was glad that he wore shades indoors. Otherwise everyone would've seen how they almost bulge out of their sockets.

He turned around and saw the boy in his Galloper's vintage wine suit, which attracted the eyes of many patrons, standing tall with a walking stick in hand. There was a small bulge on his leg indicating his cast, masterfully hidden.

Standing beside the boy, was a strangely alluring girl who didn't look any much older than he was. She had her arm locked around his, wearing a dress adorned with gems and crystals that practically lured attention.

"Hello again, Mr. Hoity." Flash greeted in a cool and calmly manner. Perhaps too calmly considering what the man did to him in their first meeting.

Sombra laughed. "When Flash here heard that you were hosting this pageant show, he insisted on coming."

"D… did he now?"

"And also…" Sombra leaned in. "He told me all about your first meeting."

Hoity's throat dried up. "He… he did?"

The boy in question chuckled, looking rather pleased with the response. "Yeah. It was absolutely unforgettable. Not one of my best moments but no one's perfect. After all, I'm not exactly the best when it comes to fashion. Good to see you again, sir." He offered his hand casually, draining the color from his face.

Remembering where he was, he returned the gesture but held it no longer than he needed. "Yes… g… good to see you too young man. I hope… we can um…"

"Oh and before that." He interjected, pointing to the lady beside him who grinned. "Let me introduce you to my good friend, Ad…"

"Adagio Songblade." The girl's voice was surprisingly seductive and alluring. "I've heard so much about you from Flash. Charmed." She offered her hand and he shook it, though visibly shaken at this point.

"Likewise." Hoity adjusted his shades carefully, taking in a deep breath. "Now. As much as I want to catch up with all of you. I must be going. This event requires is very important to me and requires my complete attention. We can't afford any errors now aheh…" He forced out a comical laugh. "Gentlemen… Madam." With a quick nod, the man made a hasty retreat ignoring all the calls from the reporters who tried to grab his attention.

Sombra on the other hand looked at him puzzlingly. "Well… that was rather abrupt. I wonder what got him so riled up."

Fancy scoffed. "I'm guessing he's having a meltdown. He always was a nervous wreck on big moments."

xxxxxxxxxx

Hoity stormed into the backstage resisting the urge to yell bloody murder. Not that anyone would mind seeing that only his minions were around.

His mind began to race with scenarios pulling on his strings.

How in the world did that boy get here? No… better question is why is he here? Unlike the girls he fought before, that boy had no lick of magic in him. He couldn't have survived that incident at the castle. And even if he did, he should scared witless out of his mind. He wouldn't willingly come here, approaching him so casually and so smug! It was like a chicken playing a game of chicken with a starving hyena.

That boy was definitely up to something. And if he's here… then those girls are probably here too.

Could they have discovered his plans?

Considering that two of them escaped Vignette's trap, they must've deduced what he was doing.

Damn it! He was so close now. So close to achieving total domination. He can't afford setbacks. Not now!

Taking a deep breath, the man looked at his watch. He had two more hours until the main event. Another hour until the last guest arrive. He could probably speed things up but that'll be too suspicious. Too much activity could undo everything he worked so hard to accomplish.

No. The only way to deal with this threat is to root it out from the source.

"Kaaz." His shadow moved forward, splitting into three. "Keep an eye on the boy and find out what he's planning."

**"Too much light."**

**"It withers our strength and might."**

**"No way to stay out of sight."**

"Then call your thralls!" He raised his voice, now clearly agitated. "Call all of them! I will not be stopped here. Those girls are close by. I can feel it." They bowed and quickly slithered back into the shadow.

**(Girl's restroom)**

_"Those girls are close by. I can feel it."_

"Way closer than you think." Twilight let out a mischievous grin when she heard those words come through her earpiece. It would've sound like a villain with a plan had her lair not been one of the stalls in the ladies restroom. Hoity's words filtered through her earphones like honey, completely unaware that he was being listened in on. Quickly she brought out her phone whispering to the guy on the line. "Signal is coming in clear. Good work Flash."

_"That was awesome! I feel like a real live secret agent!" _The boy's joy was clear in his tone. If it wasn't a pirate, then being a spy was the next best thing.

Planting that bug on Hoity's clothes was a masterful stroke that only the most cunning of folks can perform. Luckily Adagio just happens to be one of them. With a little sleight of hand, a tiny distraction and a teeny bit of magic, that girl was able to slide the object on the man's coat without him noticing. And seeing that it's not magical, he won't be able to sense it.

_"Hey, one question."_ The boy asked. _"Why'd I have to show myself to him? Wouldn't it be better if we all kept a low profile? You know… surprise him at the last minute?"_

"Normally, I'd say yes. But we can't be sure who are possessed and who are not. Hoity won't be able to use his powers or his shadow monsters openly seeing that this whole pageant show of his is a global event. Once he summons all his minions, we can deal with them all at once. Without those guys, he'll be powerless."

_"That's… so cool."_

"Let's not get too excited now. Remember Flash. I only called you to help out. But if things get hairy."

_"I know. I know."_ He droned, though he said it with some thrill. _"When the fighting starts, I should make like a tree. Don't worry. I won't get in your way. Promise."_

That was good to know. It was hard enough to get Sunset to agree on this. But sadly Flash was the only one they knew who could score a proper invites to the event. Besides… if things get dicey, he'll have the Siren sisters to protect him.

But enough about that. The plan was in motion. Now that they have Hoity under surveillance, they can move in without worry.

She quickly typed on her phone sending a text message to the rest of the gang.

'Phase 1 complete. Moving on to Phase 2. Everyone, get into position.'

xxxxxxxxxx

Outside the resort, a certain bubblegum haired gal strolled through the red carpet, dressed to the nines like never before. She strutted pass the many dashing celebrities acting like the snootiest of them all. Following closely behind her was a red haired beauty who's covered in thick Yakyakistan fur.

They approached the guard at the main entrance who raised a brow at their stature. Thankfully he remained professional and didn't make a big deal out of it.

"Invitations?" The gal produced the said invitations from her pocket and handed it over. He looked it over with a curious eye before asking. "Name?"

"Name?" She inquired with such regality. "I am the one and only Eiknip Eip! The youngest, famed fashion designer from Yakyakistan. Winner of… not one… not two… but three Golden Furs award in Europa regionals. And this here is Sunrise Glint, the famed supermodel."

"Uh… huh?" The guy blinked, confused. "I've never heard of you."

"What!? What rock have been hiding under? Do you not know the most important people of your time? I have been the bedrock of this industry for years now. YEARS! And you claim not to know me at all!? The sham, the insult! The ingrate! All must know the great and magnificent Eiknip!"

"Uh… ok." He brushed his head before turning to his guest-list. "I don't see your name on…"

"Ohmigosh! Eiknip!" A voice in the crowd called out. It sounded ridiculously like a fan. "It's Eiknip!"

"Eiknip, over here!" Another cried. "Can we a have a picture?"

"Eiknip, sign my book!"

"Sign my shirt!"

"Sign my CHEST! YEAHHHH!" A ridiculously overly muscular guy demanded, ripping his shirt off like it was made of paper.

A few seconds later the crowd began to push in, threatening to break the barrier that was set up. Security personnel hastily moved in to push the mad fans back but barely. And surprisingly, all of them were calling out Eiknip's name.

The fashion designer grinned. "I could stay out here all night if you want."

The guard shivered before quickly moving himself out of the way bowing nervously. "N… no ma'am. Please come right on in. Sorry for the confusion."

The two strutted in, making their way to the lounge blending in with the rest of the crowd. Once Eiknip was sure that no one could notice them, she texted back.

'Team Cupcake, in position.'

xxxxxxxxxx

"I cannot believe Pinkie Pie gets to walk down the red carpet." Applejack rolled her eyes for the third time that night as she listened to Rarity whine about the most mundane things. "She gets to be enamored by paparazzi, fans, high-definition cameras and celebrities while I have to trudge through the mud."

"Yes Rarity. Like you've said for the last hour." The cowgirl sighed but decided to muscle it through as they made their way through the denser part of the forest avoiding all the security checkpoints. "We've already gone through this. Hoity knows about you. You know we can't all go through the front door. It's not like you can score an invite for something so fancy."

"Maybe so. But the celebrity in me desires the exposure. I still wish I could walk through the front door dressed to the nine. It was bad enough I had to lend those sneaky Sirens my masterfully crafted clothes, but to let Pinkie of all people strut through that? It should be me walking down the red carpet. The cameras flashing at my every move, everyone admiring my glamorous style in fashion."

Oh brother.

"Fluttershy. Are we there yet?"

"Yup." The animal lover replied pointing over to a bunch of squirrels chattering above them. "He says that the fence is just beyond this bush." And true to the furry guy's words, the three of them arrived at what appeared to be the garden of the resort, where the pageant show was to be held.

"Whoa…"

Whoa indeed. The whole thing was huge. Bigger than what Hoity had in his shop and triple the size of the pageant show back in the mall. Hoity Toity spared no expense for this one. Heck, he even had a catering service lined up at the back.

"It's… beautiful." Rarity was naturally impressed. "Such a prestigious runway. Look at all those lights and bedazzling architect. Whoever designed this place is an absolute genius. Oh… what I wouldn't give to walk down that aisle and have people gasp and fawn over me like the biggest fish in the sea." She sighed. "I MUST BE THERE!"

"Oh no you don't missy." Applejack grabbed her by the collar and raising her an inch above the ground. "Have some self-control will ya? We're taking down a big bad snake who's planning to brainwash every last decent…" She gave a pause on that word. "Well… half-decent folk around here. So we have to play it cool. That means no distractions."

The fashionista sulked. But of course… reluctantly agreed. "Very well. It's not a proper runway anyway if it's being used for such a nefarious purpose."

AJ released her before turning her hand over to the fence. It was an easy thing to tear considering her inhuman strength.

"Alright. I'm heading off to the pool. Can you guys take it from here?"

Fluttershy gave a playful salute. "Absolutely. I just sent Twilight a text. I'm calling us Team Squirrel for funsies."

"Uh… sure. And you guys know your part of the plan?"

"Yup. Rarity and I will head off to the petting zoo. It shouldn't be a problem."

"And make sure no one sees you."

"Oh please darling." Rarity waved her concerns off. "With my disguises. We may as well be part of the scenery. I don't normally do such mundane things but the situation calls for it. And~~ here's yours. Oh… and don't forget. You'll have to take that hat off if you want to sell the part."

Applejack glanced at her costume for a second and groaned.

Ah… Apple Fudge

xxxxxxxxxx

Twilight's eyes beamed when she received text messages from her friends. The plan was going smoothly. In a matter of minutes they'll have Hoity right where they want him. And so long as he doesn't discover them, he'll be trapped.

"Psst. Twilight. You in there?" She opened up the stall door revealing Rainbow Dash drabbed in a janitor's outfit. "What's going on?"

"Everything's going smoothly. All teams are in." Twilight reported. "I got backup waiting outside and all we're waiting on now is Fluttershy and Applejack."

"Yeah yeah yeah. That's cool and all. But when is it going to be my turn?"

"Your turn?" Her head tilted. "What do you mean? We're already inside." Thanks to the cover of Clover the Clever's invisibility cloak. With some adjustment, they were able to extend it far enough to cover two people. "In fact, we're practically in the best position in the whole operation."

"Yeah. But everyone else got cool parts to play. Pinkie and Sunset are hiding in plain sight, Flash is practically the new Double-0-something, and even Fluttershy has a supercool role. Everyone got something to do while I'm mopping the bathroom floor and keeping people out of this place like some glorified guard."

Typical Rainbow Dash. Always wanting to be at the forefront of everything.

"I know that it's not exactly a glamorous job Rainbow. But it's still important. There's plenty of light around here so there's no way Hoity can use his shadow monsters to attack us. And with so many witnesses, he won't be able to do anything to us without causing a scandal. You just need to be patient. The pageant show isn't in another hour or so. Right now we just have to wait till the other teams get into position."

"Ugh… come on. There's gotta be something I can do." She pleaded. "I'll do anything. Eavesdrop on someone? Spy on the enemy? Anything's better than standing here and doing nothing."

Twilight gave it a thought. "Well… I wouldn't mind having an extra pair of eyes around the pool. If Hoity was gonna plan something, it'll be there. Just be sure not to be seen."

"Yes! Finally! Got it. You won't be disappointed." And with a laugh, she bolted off leaving a trail of her rainbow behind.

Twilight didn't seem to mind. The job wasn't really anything important. The pool was on the other side of the pageant show so there was a small chance that Hoity would've prepared anything there. A few guests may have taken a dip but other than that, it was just another attraction. She just needed to get Rainbow Dash off her hair and keep her busy long enough for the plan to go down. A bored Rainbow Dash was a volatile Rainbow Dash. And one way or another she was gonna find a way to entertain herself.

As long as she doesn't do anything stupid like back in the cruise, they'll be fine.

**"Well aren't you confident."**

"Gahh!" She nearly shrieked but quickly calmed down when she saw her own shadow morph into her shape. "Oh… it's just you." A bored sigh escaped her. "Can't you just give me a heads up whenever you're going to appear? Or do you take pleasure out of scaring me?"

The dark angel gave a smug reply. **"A little bit of the latter. But if you want, I can always send you a little shock as my… ringtone."**

An electric shock every time she shows up? Twilight was tempted to take the deal. Better to suffer a little pain than to have a heart attack every time her inner voice shows up.

"What do you want?" She skipped the reply entirely, placing her head on her fist. "You haven't shown up for the last few days. I was beginning to think that you were gone for good."

**"Oh you'd like that, don't you?"** Yes. Yes she would. **"Hey! You know I can read every trail of thought you have, right?"** Of course she knows. That's pretty much why she was thinking it rather than saying it. **"Well aren't you the little ungrateful runt? And here I thought I'd strike up a sophisticated conversation. But instead I meet with a petty host. No appreciation whatsoever."**

"If you think I'm gonna start asking help from the one person who's actively trying to possess my body, then guess again."

The alter-ego rolled her eyes in response. **"Alright. Fine. You have a point. But think for a second here."** She flew out, taking her seat by the sinks. Not a trace of her reflection marking the mirror. **"True, I am trying to steal your body so I can be rid of this infernal prison. But right now we both want to defeat this Hoity and his Shadow Minions. He is a threat to the both of us. And if he wins this fight, he'll have absolute power and control over the city and its inhabitants. That means bad things for you and me. And I… will not allow that."**

"And you expect me to trust you?"

**"Trust?"** Midnight's laugh would've echoed throughout the entire resort if she had a body. **"Please. Trust is like sand. It erodes and shifts everywhere. A weak foundation for any partnership. But mutual self-interest? Now that is a bedrock in which you and I agree on."**

Twilight's eye sharpened at her inner voice but made no reply.

**"You want to stop Hoity from brainwashing everyone here. I don't want him taking over our minds either."** She added. **"You want to understand how his powers work, and so do I. Right now our interest align. So why don't we work together this once? For both our benefits?"**

It was an interesting offer. One that stroke her intrigue. "What are you proposing?"

**"A truce."** It sounded so plain and simple yet it held such weight. **"I offer a little magical advice in defeating him, free of charge. Together, we have better odds at defeating this creep before he turns this place into a fashion disaster." **Her chuckle was ominous and the hand she extended looked like a deal that'll turn sour any second. But still… Twilight couldn't really resist the offer.

If the battle at Castle Hoofbeard taught her anything, it's that no plan ever goes the way you want it to. It can go well one second and turn sour in a blink of an eye. Having an all-powerful angel with knowledge of magic at her side will definitely increase their odds of winning. It was a gift horse. And she wasn't going to look at it in the mouth.

"Alright Midnight." She took her hand. "Just this once."

**"Good girl. But I do have one condition though."** Barely a minute into the deal and she was changing it already. What did she expect? **"Don't give me that look. It's just a minor detail."**

"Depends on how minor it is."

**"We're going to need some help from a certain someone."**

**(Lounge)**

Flash let out a soft sigh as he made his way to the center of the lounge where most of the guests have gathered. The mingling of so many important people had him on edge. He wasn't used to being around so many famous names. Some of which he couldn't even recall.

When Twilight called him for help, he never imagined it would actually involve him doing something so… daring. He felt like a mouse having a staring contest with a cat and won. The risk was dangerous but the reward was totally worth it.

The look on Hoity's face was absolutely priceless. With the way he turned paler than the moon one might say that he saw a ghost. A part of him wished he took a picture. After what that guy did to him back at the castle, this revenge was long due.

"You seem rather pleased with yourself." Adagio stated, standing beside him, cocking one brow and admiring his satisfied grin. "I take it you enjoyed rattling that guy down to his core?"

"I wouldn't say that I was enjoying it. But I'd be lying." He shrugged back admittedly. "Did you see the look on his face? Even with those shades on, I could tell he was sweating underneath it."

"Yes, little man. I know. I was there." The Siren cheekily responded but was humored either way. "You really had him by the throat. All that smugness and smile worked on his nerves. And the tone you used on him?" She moaned. "Absolutely dominating. A little more and he might've wet his pants. I gotta say, I'm almost mildly impressed."

"Wow… uh… thanks." The boy brushed the side of his hair shyly.

"And I'll admit. When you called me in for a favor the other day. I wasn't expecting you to ask me out on a date." Was this a date? Flash didn't think so. Well… not in a way she was thinking. "And I have to admit. For a first-date. This is pretty high class." Adagio gestured to the people around her. "High class food, mingling with the rich and famous in a fancy resort? It's going to take a lot of effort to top this one."

"Well… it's not really a date. I mean we are on a mission to stop…" She quickly hushed him with a finger to his lips.

"True. But just because we're here to stop some psycho from conquering the world, doesn't mean we can't enjoy it. Not to mention…" She stepped back and took a good look at him from top to bottom. "… you're not bad looking either."

"Well I have been doing a lot of manning up since we last met. Fighting evil mages and shadow monsters, getting trapped on the other side of the world."

"So you've said." Her fingers traced along his collar before she grabbed a glass from the table serving herself whatever beverage was available. "And I have to hand it to you. Facing on a foe like that takes guts. It might've been one heck of a fight."

"Yeah… well… no." Flash grumbled. "I didn't really do much. Mostly just run around and be a distraction. It was the girls who did most of the fighting. I'm just a guy who barks a lot. All I got out of that whole thing was just a twisted ankle and a few scars."

"Did you now?" She cooed softly, inching closer to him, one hand pressing against his suit which caught him unaware. A smile crossed her lips as she brought herself closer to the boy, wrapping her arms around his. "Then you're in luck. I happen to like men with scars."

His face turned red as he felt her skin. "Y… you do?"

"Very…" She nodded before offering him a glass of punch and leading him away from the tables. "Speaking of which." Her eyes lit up like candles. "Now that your character has grown. I think it's high time we started your next lesson."

"My next lesson? What do you…" Flash stumbled when he noticed his 'date' dragging him along to another area of the resort. "Wait. Adagio. Wh… where are we going? Twilight said we shouldn't move from…"

"Relax Lover Boy. It'll just be a few minutes. I won't bite."

xxxxxxxxxx

Aria raised a bewildered brow as she watched her leader disappear into the crowd with her 'date' in tow. It was a new experience to see Adagio act so… extra dominant or controlling. It almost looked like she was actually having fun being around him. If this keeps up, there's no telling what her sister would do to him in the near future.

Normally Aria wouldn't concern herself with such a trivial matter. Adagio had her own way of amusing herself whenever she was bored. Heck, this wouldn't be the first guy she tried to seduce.

But something was off.

Something about this new guy gave her that unusual feeling… and that alone was cause for concern. Perhaps it was because he was close to those Equestria Girls. Or perhaps it was his rich background and a father who would initially be the supposed ruler of the city they lived in.

"Aria! Aria!" Sonata teleported beside her with a tray of treats in her hand and a sandwich sticking out of her mouth. "This place is amazing. You won't believe what they have here. It's like a whole other culinary world. They even have a private chef in the corner who'll make anything you ask for. No matter how expensive."

That got her attention. "Anything?"

"Yeah. I just ordered the lobster frittata with extra thermidor."

"What's that?"

"I have absolutely no idea. I just said the fanciest words I could think of! And he's making it right now! It's insane. And the food they have on the table alone is to die for. I actually had to fight this old lady for the last bite size sandwiches. They're delectable." She chomped down on a few of those said treats before noticing her sister's eyes wandering. "Whatcha looking at?" It didn't take her long to see her big sister with that boy just barely rushing up the stairs. "Oooh. Looks like she's out having fun with her new friend."

"Too much fun if you ask me." Aria grumbled, not taking her eye off them.

"Aww… relax. This isn't the first time she becomes so attentive to someone. Remember that singer we met during the music festival?"

Did she ever? It was a story to be told over a good cup of coco. During their trip to the Starswirl Music Festival, there was this particularly annoying guitarist who was infatuated with their leader. Said something about love-at-first-site. Like anything that stupid could happen. Adagio practically seduced that dude for every penny he was worth and dumped his butt the moment she lost interest. He couldn't last longer than a day.

"It's just that something is different with this one." Aria mentioned, rubbing one hand over her chin.

"Different how?"

"I'm not sure." Her eyes squinted. "Didn't he smell funny to you?"

"I think that was his cologne." Sonata gave a sniff under her own armpit. "Or maybe that was me. I haven't had a good shower in days. Water bills."

The middle sister rolled her eyes in defeat. "Forget it. Come on. We still got a job to do."

xxxxxxxxxx

Flash panted heavily as Adagio released him from her grasp, finally reaching their destination. The balcony overlooking the lounge.

"Adagio, wait." He said through pants. "Injured leg. Remember?"

"A little pain won't stop you." She replied, holding that evil grin in place. "Come along now. The view is perfect."

"The view of what?" The boy questioned, leaning against the rails. "The lounge? We were just there a few minutes ago. How is this any dif…"

"Shhh… being part of the crowd and observing a crowd are very different experiences." The Siren explained hushing his complaints. "There are simply things you can only grasp when you stand atop others. Now come closer and listen well."

What was she? Some kind of demented teacher?

Flash wanted to whine but decided against his better judgment. If anything, she'll probably just rebuke and humiliate him. "Alright. What 'lesson' are you teaching this time? Another of your manning up course?"

"In a manner of speaking." She cast her eyes forward. "With the crowd gathered here, I think it's the perfect time for you to learn about… deception."

"Deception? You mean tricking people?"

"Tricking, lying, sleight of hand, manipulation and all manner of subterfuge." Adagio said those words with such glee like she practically followed it like a code of her own. "Seeing as your old man will be part of the political circle here in the big city, you'll have to learn to walk and talk like them. And therefore you'll need to see signs."

"That doesn't seem necessary. I'm not gonna be a politician like him. He's just… ow! Hey!" He groaned when he felt her pinch on his cheek.

"Oh Flash. So innocent. So naïve." The lady sighed though she didn't seem surprised to his reaction. "What you think no longer matters here. Whether you like it or not, you will be a part of it. Do you think being the son of the city's head will give you a pass? Of course not. In fact, it simply made you the juiciest fruit in the pile."

"Can you stop it with the metaphors? They're not making any sense."

Her eyes rolled. "It means other people will try to worm their way to your old man through you. They'll try to weasel in, throw in compliments, bribe. Each of them thinking that you'll be a quick ticket to success. Everyone here wears a mask."

"I don't think that's how that works."

"Don't believe me? Then why don't you see it for yourself?" She immediately pointed to a corner of the lounge where a larger crowd gathered around a single man. Flash instantly recognized the central figure as his dad, who was holding twelve separate conversations with absolutely no interruptions. "See how the people clamor around him, vying for his time and attention. Like animals, they're all trying to curry favor with the future ruler hoping to get a bite off his table. Observe their posture, their fake smiles. How they pretend to be his friend while they all secretly ruin others."

And in some strange way, Flash could it. While they cleverly hid it, he could see a few stares holding malicious intent, smiles that wavered from weariness, especially from those further back. They were like predators biding their time, waiting their turn to strike.

"And observe how those folk at the back are denied their audience." Adagio continued, clearly enjoying staring down at those jokers. "See how they scurry away. What do you think they'll do when they can't go through the normal route? Who do you think they'll turn to when they want to speak with your old man?"

The mere thought of having to deal with such folk terrified him. It was an obvious approach. If you can't get something the direct way, then you go around it. It was something he had done himself many times.

Sooner or later… and whether he liked it or not, those predators will come to him… and he'll have to defend himself or be eaten.

"O… okay. You made your point." He shuddered. "Show me."

"Good boy." Her grin widened as she offered him a glass. "Now the first step is… to watch… and learn."

xxxxxxxxxx

Ok. Is it just me or is Adagio getting way too close to Flash?

Sunset couldn't help but eye the two suspiciously from her corner of the lounge. Normally she wouldn't dare to even think about bringing Flash anywhere close to this event. In fact, she fought fiercely against it. But unfortunately Twilight made a compelling argument and she had to give in. After all… who else can score an invite to a party this big and get close to Hoity without causing a ruckus?

Still… she didn't like it. And it was making her itch.

Or… maybe that was the Yakyakistan fur she was wearing.

Honestly, how do those guys do it? Wearing these super-heavy-super-thick coats around their bodies. I mean she knows that it can get really cold up there but these things felt like overkill. Anyone caught wearing this in the middle of spring or summer was liable to get a heatstroke – or suffocate from the lack of air. It took a whole lot of effort just stand in this thing much less walk around.

She maintained communication with Twilight. And judging from her reply it seems like the plan was going smoothly. Everyone was inside and Hoity was under surveillance. They'll know every move he makes and every action he takes which would give them the time needed to make a counterattack. So the chance of any of them meeting was pretty slim.

The same can't be said with his possessed minions. They could be hidden within the audience, and there was no telling how many of them there are. They just needed to stay hidden until the pageant show starts.

"Excuse me." Her train of thoughts was interrupted when a fancy looking guest approached. "You wouldn't happen to be part of last year's show in Las Pegasus, would you? I'm sure I've seen you before."

"Oh… uh…" Crap, what to do? The plan only covered the entry and execution. They never really had any scenario building or banter.

"Oh pa-lease!" Pinkie… or Eiknip retorted appearing out of nowhere. "You're obviously thinking of another supermodel. Sunrise Glint only works on the finest stage. Las Pegasus is so yesterday's news. She expands to other fields, other runways."

The stranger seemed taken aback but maintained his posture. "Uh… I see. That does sound ambitious."

"Of course she's ambitious! She's Sunrise Glint! She's daring, brave, and bold! She wouldn't tie herself down to simply one runway. Look at those curves, those exotic features, that blazing hair and those absolutely gorgeous legs."

Wait. Her legs were gorgeous?

"She certainly does have an appeal." The man nodded. "I imagine you're her manager… Miss?"

"Eiknip Eip!" Pinkie sold on her name. "The soon to be famous fashion designer from Yakyakistan."

"Ah… I see. Forgive me if I don't recognize the name."

"Not yet." Eiknip added grabbing Sunset by the neck. "Sure I may be an unknown soul in the vast sea of sharks. But in the near future, you will see her face on every corner of the city. And through her, my designs will take to the streets!"

"I take it you're aiming for a position in Las Pegasus."

"NO! Such small and feeble accomplishments are not worthy of my attention." Don't let Rarity hear you say that. "We're not just some unknown group fighting for leftover cookie crumbs. Neither are we donuts that circle around following every other footsteps. We're the cupcake that will take the world by storm! Blazing a new path to a whole new world!" She held her breath for a dramatic pause. "We are… the fashion revolution!"

…

Ok Pinkie. I think you might've oversold it a tad bit there. The guy looked rather… confused.

"That's… fantastic!"

"It is?" Sunset questioned.

"That's exactly the kind of ambition I've been looking for. What a refreshing breath of fresh air Ms. Eiknip. Your brazen attitude and determination is quite awe inspiring. You kind of remind me of myself when I was your age."

Pinkie waved it off coolly. "Aww… it was nothing… Mister?"

"Oh! Where are my manners? Apologies. Your outburst caught me off guard. Please. I am Fancy Pants. Owner and head of Fancy Fleece." Wait… Fancy Pants? Isn't he that guy that Rarity kept blabbing on about before? Other than Hoity Toity. "You're just the kind of spirit this industry needs to reignite its passion. I'd very much like to discuss more of this… fashion revolution of yours. And might I say 'THAT' is an excellent slogan." He reached for his breast pocket producing a card. "Please. Call this number if you'd like to make a schedule."

"Absolutely!" Pinkie took it without hesitation. And with a final wave and a polite bow, the man departed leaving Sunset stunned for a brief moment. "What a nice guy."

Yeah… nice.

She unfroze when her phone buzzed.

"Sunset? It's Twilight. How're you holding up?"

"Other than Pinkie being really into her character… everything's fine. How's everything going on your end?"

"Smoother than Spike's fur after a shower." She chuckled. "Fluttershy and Rarity are at the petting zoo, and Applejack just arrived at the pool. Hoity seems to be panicking but so far he doesn't know what's really going on. And judging from the extra people coming in, he's calling all of his brainwashed masses to the resort. That only leaves you."

"Alright. Pinkie and I are heading to the backyard."

"Actually. There's a slight change of plans." A change? That can't be good. "Bring Flash and Adagio with you just in case."

Sunset blinked. "Why them?"

"Just for the extra firepower." She answered. "Trust me. It'll all work out."


	46. Face Off

**Chapter 46: Face Off**

**(Freefall Island Resort) (Backstage)**

Hoity was getting impatient. He paced around the backstage, one hand on his chin and another at his back. His mind raced as he predicted several scenarios over, wondering which of them would come true. Normally he'd be out there, greeting his guests and making small chat. But those girls really threw a wrench in his security.

So far none of his minions have reported anything suspicious. Not that they could. There were over a hundred guests in this resort alone and all of them dressed to the nines. The only suspect he had on his list were Flash and his supposed 'date'. That woman had magic glowing all around her which prompted her to be the red herring of the operation. But it's not like he could just throw them out. What would his father say?

Sombra was another suspect. And who knows? Perhaps Fancy Pants himself was in on the whole thing. Or maybe everyone!

Gah! How was he supposed to separate the sheep from the wolves prowling amongst them? He can't just go there himself. What if that's what they want him to do? Strut around the lounge, all vulnerable, without anyway of defending himself. If he tried to do anything bold, it'll be broadcast throughout the whole world. He'll be ruined in more ways than one!

He could go in with a bunch of his minions… but folks would question why he needed the extra security. Damn it! This was a disaster. If there was a quote here, he'd say that they caught him with his pants down.

He looked at his watch. Only thirty more minutes before the pageant show begins. That means all the cameras will be moving to the backyard. Reporters and journalists alike will be vying for the best spots while his guests clamored around the runway. Once that starts it'll be too late for him to do anything. He'll be latched to the stage, coordinating the other models and fashion designers who are presenting 'their' clothes.

And it's there where his plans will be most vulnerable. If the spell he prepared isn't done properly then all of this… everything he worked these last few months will be for nothing. And worse still…

Ugh… damn it.

That's it. If Flash Sentry wants a fight, he'll get it.

Quickly he reached out for his phone and dialed a number.

**(Pool)**

This is god darn ridiculous.

Applejack felt her teeth chatter as she scouted around the pool area dressed as one of the many waiters around here complete with long pants and blazer. She traded her hat for a few pins that held her hair in place and a bowtie to boot. With a little poise, acting and a little bit of luck she was able to get through security without too much hassle. Either those muscle heads were bad at their job or they were too busy keeping the paparazzi out to bother a small fry like her.

Either way her part of the plan worked and she had the pool all to herself. No surprise seeing that there wasn't idiot out here dumb enough to take a quick dip at this weather, less they were really into getting frostbites. Hiding behind the mini-bar counter proved to be effective but unnecessary.

All she needed to do now was wait for Twilight to give the signal and…

"So what are we doing?"

"Gah!" AJ yelped nearly blowing her cover. She quickly returned to her hidey spot grabbing the intruder by the collar, yelling at her quietly. "Rainbow! You scared the living daylights out of me!"

"Sorry. My bad. Couldn't resist."

"What in tarnation are you even doing here!? I thought you were supposed to be with Twilight and keeping a lookout! Somebody could'da saw you!"

"Oh please. I'm too fast for that." The sports gal replied like it was the answer to everything. "Besides, Twilight sent me here. She thought that you could use a hand with uh… that thing you're doing."

"Do you even know what the plan is?"

"Course I do. We beat Hoity in his own game. The moment he steps onto that stage and use his magical mumbo jumbo, we Pony-Up, swoop in and thrash him with style." The look that her friend gave said otherwise. "That… is what we're doing… right?"

That was the rough draft of the latter part. But there were so many steps that needed processing. Figures Rainbow wouldn't pay attention to those little details. If anything, Twilight probably sent her here to keep her out of trouble.

"Ok fine. So I didn't really paid much attention to everything we were talking about. But can you help me?" Not really. "Why did I have to be saddled with the boring guard duty while you guys get to do cool spy stuff?"

"Because you're as subtle as a bull in a china shop?" AJ countered, rolling her eyes. "Look. This is a very delicate assignment. And it's too late to send you back without getting attention. So can I trust you to be quieter than Big Mac?"

"You got it chief." Rainbow Dash gave a playful salute as her friend pulled out a number of fancy looking plastic balls. "Whoa… are those Trixie's smoke bombs?"

"Yup. Stuff a few of these in the right places and it'll look like a fire's starting." Applejack grinned mischievously. She wasn't really one for being sneaky but it felt somewhat cool to be acting like real time spies. "We just need to put them on…" Her eyes turned over to the doorway of the pool, widening before she quickly pulled Rainbow Dash into the counter. "Get down!"

"Ow! What are you…?" The cowgirl hushed her loud friend pointing at the small open slit revealing a number of hulky figures walking in all menacing. "Whoa… someone rolled in the big guns."

"Not just that. Look." Applejack pointed to the back where a familiar figure stood by, scanning the area with a darkened expression. "It's Vignette. They must be looking for us." She gave Rainbow a look. "You sure no one saw you here?"

"Come on AJ. You know me." She scoffed back lowly. "I'd never jeopardize a mission."

"Search the area!" They heard Vignette bark out to the other hypnotized minions. Their leathery outfit was apparent. "The waiters said they saw a rainbow haired girl run through here."

…

…

…

Applejack's stare sharpened.

"Ah… aheh. That could've been anyone."

Damn it Rainbow Dash!

**(Ladies' restroom)**

"Go for Twilight." The brain of the Equestria Girls answered instantly as her phone rang. She sounded rather chirpy. Almost too pleased with herself.

_"Twi. We got a problem."_ Her chirpy mood was instantly ruined at that moment. _"We think Hoity's onto us. He's got his goons searching the pool."_

"But… that's not possible." She stuttered. "The pool should be the last place they search. How'd they…" Her pause only reminded her of a decision she made. "Rainbow Dash?"

_"Rainbow Dash."_ There was an audible 'Hey!' in the background. _"What do we do?"_

Twilight rubbed the temple above her nose and groaned. Honestly, that girl. "Alright. There's no need to panic. We expected this to happen. This is what we were hoping for. Hoity is bringing all of his possessed to the resort. We just need to keep ourselves hidden until the last minute. Can you still pull off the plan?"

_"We'll try. But it'll be a tight fit."_

"Good. I'll tell the others to go on radio silence until the pageant show starts. Stay safe. And…" Her phone buzzed again. "I got another call. Talk to you later."

Rarity's voice whispered in after a click. _"Twilight dear. Sorry to bother you on such a busy time. But we may have a bit of an eensy weensy problem on our hands."_

"Yeah. Applejack already told me. Hoity's sending out his goons."

_"Yes that too. But it looks like the petting zoo is locked for the duration. Apparently some of the animals got loose, now it's locked up tight until the pageant is done."_

"What!?" Twilight stifled her mouth as her voice echoed loudly. "That's bad. We need those animals to complete our plan. Can you do something about it?"

_"We'll try. But no promises."_ Rarity gulped. _"Call you back soon."_

Ugh… this was going south real fast. The resort was big. Big enough that it'll take hours just to search the place from top to bottom. She didn't think that Hoity would have so much extra manpower to speed up the process. So much for a smooth ride. And the plan was going so well earlier.

**"Trouble?"**

"Just an inconvenience." She said to her evil counterpart. "Looks like Hoity brought in more people than I anticipated. It… shouldn't be a problem on Sunset's side. But as long as they're not discovered, the plan is still a go. I just hope nothing else goes wrong." But the universe decided to play a reverse card on her instead. A loud banging noise startled her from the toilet seat. "Wh… what was that?"

No one in their right mind would dare use this restroom. Rainbow Dash put that maintenance sign outside to keep folks out. She even had the water running madly, which flooded the place up to the ankles. Any rich patron worth his salt wouldn't dare approach this place to sully their expensive shoes.

Unless… it wasn't a guest but someone else entirely.

Midnight Sparkle decided to find out, phasing her head out of the stall for a brief second before returning, eyes shot in dread. **"You got a big guy coming! Hide!"**

Oh crud. This was the very reason why Twilight had Rainbow Dash here in the first place. To keep people out. What a blunder.

And where was she to hide!? This was a restroom stall. A 4x6 area with 2 inches thick walls and a lockable door. An office cubicle was bigger than this! There was no place to hide!

Wham!

She heard the door to the other stalls open. Whoever it was, has decided to check out all the stalls. Luckily she made her lair at the far end which gave her only a few more seconds to think of a way out.

Wham! The second stall smashed open.

Could she go out the vents? No. This isn't like the museum. They were far too small for her to fit and they had grills on them. She'd need specialized tools just to get them open.

WHAM! A third stall.

**"Any day now, Twilight!"**

She could try to outrun the attacker. Bah! Who was she kidding? She can't do cardio to save her own skin.

WHAM! The stall next to hers buckled. Wet footsteps pounded the floor followed by a grunting noise.

Maybe she can fight it out. No! That'll ruin the whole operation. And it'll put everyone here in grave danger.

He was there. She could see his shadow on the other side of the door.

No time. She had to wing it.

WHAM!

The door swung open and a large man appeared. Black ink marks trailed all over his exposed skin while pulse of magic vibrated from his clothes. The leather garments that he wore underneath his clothes were also apparent, gripping tightly on his body.

Twilight stifled a gasp as their eyes met.

But it lasted only for a few seconds before he let out a snort and turned to his radio. "Bathroom's all clear. Moving up to the second floor."

With a gruff and a heave, the large man stomped off, his feet slopping over the water, probably searching another location.

"Is… is he gone?"

Midnight took another peek and came back with a nod. They let out a sigh of relief. **"I think we're overstaying our welcome."**

Twilight chuckled, removing a magic cloak sighing. "Agreed."

**(Suite room)**

Sunset glanced down the balcony staring at the many famous figures mingling below. She watched as they chatted, laughed and joked around, completely unaware of the battle raging around them or the danger they were in.

In just a few more minutes the show would start and Hoity would unveil his plan of total domination over every audience member taking over their minds and bending them to his will. It sounded like a genuine evil villain plan and the guy had power and evil henchmen to back it up. If this wasn't real life, he'd say that this whole thing had the makings of a great action hero movie.

"You worried?" Flash asked, appearing beside her, looking as dashing as he did before in that suit of his.

"About the plan? Not a bit." She smiled. "About my part in it? Maybe a little. I'm just worried something might go wrong and the whole plan goes sideway."

"Well if it does, I'm sure you girls can handle it. I've seen you work. You can do it. No need to feel any pressure. Just don't think about the fact that if you fail, everyone down there, including my dad and me, will become enslaved mindless obeying zombies who will follow the fashion sense of a tyrannical psychopath."

Her eyes pointed sharply at him. "Yeah. No pressure."

He laughed. "I'm just saying that this fight should be cakewalk for you. I mean out of all the bad guys I've seen you girls fight, this one has to be the least interesting one. I mean… come on. Turning the whole city into zombies that obey your every whim? Please. You're the one who invented that scheme. Who better to stop him than the true original mastermind?"

Sunset gave him a pointed look. She knew that he was only trying to lighten the mood but the whole scenario playing around her did little to ease her tensed muscle.

"Gee… thanks."

"What I'm trying to say is… you guys will do fine. I have complete faith in you and your friends. So lighten up and relax while you can."

"I totally agree!" Pinkie chimed in appearing from the door with a literal basket of treats. "Chill out a bit Sunshim. We got the royal suite room all to ourselves. This place has everything. Two jumbo size beds, a fully stocked fridge, free cable, and have you seen the tub in the bathroom? It's huge!"

"I agree with the bumbling idiot." Adagio followed suit holding a wine glass, professionally. Though the contents of the glass was less likely anything intoxicating. "You don't often get to enjoy the luxury of the rich so you may as well get comfortable. First class food, unlimited room service and a view to kill for. Compared to where I've been staying, this is a palace."

Sunset didn't seem to agree. "Aren't you guys being a little too comfortable? What if something goes wrong?"

"If something does go wrong it'll be because of your friends, not you. Why worry over things that are out of your control? I'd say that's the kind of things you get wrinkles over. Even your pink fellow here knows how to relax." She pointed over to Pinkie Pie who somehow teleported from the balcony to the bed, squealing and bouncing off the mattress like the fluffiest trampoline.

"Adagio has a point." Flash agreed rather readily which surprised her. "If something goes wrong, then it'll go wrong. Besides, Twilight will call if things need fixing. So we should enjoy this little peace and quiet while we can."

"See? Even the human gets it."

"I'm just saying that we can't let our guard down." She said. "I'm still wondering why Twilight asked me to bring you two along. I could've done this part on my own."

"Is that a complaint I hear?" Adagio feigned a gasp nearly spilling her glass. "Flash here went out of his way to give you the best room in the entire resort where you're guaranteed to have absolute privacy and all you do is whine and wallow. The least you could do is be grateful and learn to enjoy the finer things in life." She then took a sip, moaning softly from the taste. Her eyes then shifted to the boy expectantly. "Hmmm… a girl can get use to this."

"Yeah Sunset." Pinkie came again, teleporting across the room like magic. "You gotta live life if you want to experience life. Sure, we're about to go and fight the most powerful enemy we've ever seen before, and we might fail and doom the whole city into a dark future. But why let a little doom and gloom get in the way of having a good time?"

Et tu Pinkie?

Gosh it feels like she was the only one here who was taking things seriously.

"Fine." She said finally, hanging her head lowly in defeat. "But only because you insisted."

The siren leader smirked. "I'll order room service."

**(Petting Zoo)**

Ok Rarity. No time to panic. Sure you might not be the better-dressed gal in the party tonight, and you might be endanger of getting caught by Hoity's possessed minions. But that's all part of the plan. This whole debacle was just a little pressure. And we know that one does not become a diamond without pressure.

Hopefully not too much pressure.

"Alright. The coast seems clear for now." She whispered to no one in particular. "There's no need to panic. We just need to find a way into the petting zoo. Here's the plan Fluttershy. We'll change into our backup disguises, sneak into the maintenance closet and take the master key from there. We'll then double back through the lounge meeting and greeting some of the guests. They'll marvel at our style and make it back to the petting zoo just in time for…"

"Done." Fluttershy announced plainly as the padlock to the petting zoo dropped from its socket.

Rarity blinked dumbly. "But… how… when?"

"Mr. Mousekewitz offered to help out." The little mice chittered happily in her hands before scampering off to the nearest crack on the wall. "Bye bye Mr. Mousekewitz. Good luck finding your son."

Well… that was… convenient.

"Then I suppose we'll have to get to the next part of the plan." Rarity coughed, forcing a change of subject. "Here's what I'm thinking. I'll change into my backup disguise, mingle with the crowd and…"

"Actually… I can do this next part on my own. I just need to give instructions to the animals here."

"O… oh." She paused. "Well… then I'll just change into my backup disguise and…"

"Rarity." Fluttershy gave her a raised brow look. "Are you just looking for an excuse to change?"

"Whaaaat? No~~" She tried to brush it off for like half a second before she bawled. "Ok yes! YES! I do! I really do!" She grabbed her friend by the shoulder, crying a river. "Just look around you! This place is like a gala of my dreams. Fashion, style, celebrities everywhere you look! I have to present myself. Social interaction with the rich and famous is like air to me. Without it, I'll suffocate and die."

Fluttershy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Now now Rarity. You know what Twilight said. We shouldn't do anything to draw attention."

"But I would do no such thing! I'll just dress up and take a quick stroll around the lounge. I'll hardly even standout." Now that was a lie if she ever told one. "Ok fine. I'm lying. I'll totally stand out."

"Just stay here and don't let anyone see you." The animal lover demanded, threatening to use her mighty stare if she had to.

Rarity could do nothing but sulk.

**(Backstage)**

Hoity bit the tip of his nails as he paced back and forth behind the curtains. A rough guess would say that he was worried out of his mind. His enemies were here doing god knows what. Scenarios played over his head, unable to deduce the girls' plans.

He thought that their fight at the castle would deter them or perhaps even scare them into hiding. But somehow they became bold and even decided to face him at his own game.

"Fifteen minutes Mr. Toity." The stage manager shouted from the blinds to which he nodded back. The show was starting soon.

At this rate he'll have no other choice but to proceed.

Damn it! Curse those insufferable oafs. They're far smarter than he imagined. He thought that these girls were nothing more than teens blessed with magic. But it was obvious that they thought this plan through.

Challenging him here was no doubt pre-meditated. His hands were tied to the event, and there were too many witnesses for him to free use his powers. Not to mention that his shadow creature was allergic to bright lights. This whole thing limited his actions greatly, making him vulnerable to whatever attack they had plan.

If he wasn't the target of their grand scheme, he would've been impressed.

There was no other choice. He had to make a move.

"Kaaz." His shadow formed up against the wall, with red slits acting as eyes. "Prepare to take control of the audience."

The snake gasped. **"The spell is not yet ready."**

**"Cast too soon and it will be unsteady."**

**"Perhaps even… deadly."**

"It doesn't matter. We can't wait any longer. More than half of the guests are already at the garden. I don't know what those girls are planning but they will not disrupt our plans. I'd rather have a few of those influencers under my control than none at all. Go!" The shadow obeyed and vanished leaving the man to his anger. But thankfully he breathed it out before heading off to the stage. "You there."

"Y… yes sir?"

"Tell the stage manager that we're moving ahead with the show."

"Bw… what?" The lady fumbled with her words. "B… but it's too early sir. Not everyone is in their seats and the camera crew are still adjusting to…"

"We'll only begin the opening. Everything else will come later!" He turned to his possessed minions. "That goes for the rest of you! Move!"

The whole stage quickly mobilized at his command, hastening their preparations, all of them completely unaware of the intruder that had somehow snuck its way unnoticed in the darkness.

**(Pool)**

Applejack groaned in her hiding spot. It's been over fifteen minutes now and Vignette and her goons continued to search the area despite having found nothing so far. You'd think they'd have searched elsewhere. But oddly enough she was tenacious.

There was no time to delay. They were already behind schedule and the plan relied on everything going smoothly. One little hiccup and it'll all fall apart.

So with little choice on the matter, she decided to rely on her friend to get the job done.

"Alright Rainbow Dash. You remember the plan?"

The sports gal puffed her cheeks. "Yeah yeah. Plant the smoke bombs in the vents, set the timer, and then meet up at the lounge for the grand finale. I heard you the first time."

"Good. I'll distract Vignette. You have to go fast."

"AJ, please. This girl only has one gear, and it's always fast."

Applejack rolled her eyes at her "And try not to hurt anyone. These folks might be doing bad things but they're not in control."

"Says the girl with super-strength." With an overconfident smirk, Rainbow Dash crawled off, avoiding the patrolling muscles.

Applejack took a breath. She trusted Rainbow Dash on this assignment like flipping a coin. She can be quick with her task but was prone to many distractions. Either way, she didn't have much of a choice.

With a heave, she revealed herself and called out. "Hey! You fellas looking for something?"

Vignette's eyes visibly flared with black ink tracing all over her body. An expression of recognition formed on her face as she turned to face the cowgirl on the opposite side of the pool.

"Well well well… look who decided to show up. Applejack." The evil fashionista retorted cockily with one hand on her hip as her two brutes taking her flanks. "I should've known you'd be the one skulking around here. You've seem to have a habit of sticking your nose where it's not wanted."

"What can I say? Meddling in other the business of evil wizards is kind of our thing."

"Yes. So it would seem."

"Are you still upset that we ruined your show in Equestria World?"

"Upset? Of course not. Annoyed? Possibly." She shrugged. "Furious…?" Her eyes flared. "Ab-so-lute-ly."

Well… someone certainly has a grudge.


End file.
